


Compatibility

by Reyanth



Category: Tenipuri - Fandom, Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Drug-Induced Sex, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 17:59:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 28,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6434608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reyanth/pseuds/Reyanth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inui's calculations result in a free-for-all among those most compatible with Echizen. Add a new experimental Roman'tea'c into the mix, and what ensues is a hilarious comedy of erotic errors...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a lighthearted story written long ago that I have decided not to re-edit to my current writing style. Please take its flaws with a grain of salt and enjoy the silly, smutty fun.

“Hey, Echizen.”

“Mm?”

“What’s up with those two?”

“How should I know, Fuji-senpai?”

“Oh, come now, Echizen. Surely you’ve done something… They haven’t stopped staring at you since you arrived this morning.”

Resisting the urge to snap in irritation, Echizen grit his teeth. “Why don’t you ask Inui-senpai? He’s the one with all the data, after all.”

Fuji raised his eyebrows in the data specialist’s direction.

Inui, startled that he’d been so quickly pinpointed as the culprit, readjusted his glasses. “I may have… mentioned something about their, erm, tied relationship compatibility… with Echizen.”

Fuji chuckled. 

Silently fuming, Echizen walked away before he gave in to the growing need to assault Inui with his racket. The moment he did, both Momoshiro and Kaidoh made a beeline for him, each trying to shove the other out of the way as they went. 

Abandoning removing each other physically, they simultaneously switched tactics, both trying to get their question out first, resulting in perfect unison.

“Echizen, will you go out with me?”

Glaring at them both, Echizen took a deep, calming breath, ground out, “Mada mada dane,” and pushed between them towards the locker room.

“Inui… What was the percentage?” Fuji asked gleefully. 

“… 3%. Believe it or not, Echizen is straight.”

“Reeeaaaaally?” Fuji drawled, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he watched the rookie storm off.


	2. 2%

“Tezuka, there’s a little project I want to work on,” Fuji mentioned, as Tezuka took a sip of his tea.

The captain raised his eyebrows as he lowered the cup, wary of what he called Fuji’s ‘trouble tone’. Fuji smiled sweetly, lightly folding his arms on top of his Math homework.

“What?” Tezuka asked, almost rudely in his ambition to use as few words as possible.

“Echizen,” Fuji replied, mirroring the habit.

Tezuka, clever as he was, took only a second to figure out the extent of Fuji’s statement. 

“Didn’t Inui say he was straight?” Not a question, just a reminder.

“Hehmmm,” Fuji half chuckled, half hummed, resting his chin in his palm. “There’s an exception to every rule,” he said, positively sparkling with mischief. “And I’m it.”

Tezuka’s eyes returned to his tea. He took another sip. “You’re very sure of yourself.”

“Of course!” Fuji laughed. “I have you as proof.” He smiled serenely. “Now all I need is your permission. After all, if you don’t think I can do it then you have nothing to worry about.”

“And if I succeed first?” Tezuka asked calmly, as he solved the special advanced problem after a glance.

Fuji’s mouth rounded into a little ‘o’ and he opened his eyes. Was Tezuka serious? Surely not… The usual smile rippled back into effect. After a moment, he returned his attention to the homework. “I’m not worried,” he said offhandedly.

“Good,” Tezuka replied, his mocking tone a little too cheerful for Fuji’s liking.

If Tezuka really intended to play, then Fuji had some tough competition. If he really succeeded, then Fuji might lose his lover and his pride. If Tezuka lost, then he might pretend indifference out of spite, and Fuji would lose him anyway. If they both lost… Well, if they both lost, then Echizen was truly a lost cause.

Maybe Fuji should have his sister do a tarot reading…

*

Tezuka smiled into his cup. Take that, tensai!

If Fuji wanted to risk their relationship because his ego couldn’t refuse a challenge, then he hardly deserved Tezuka’s support. What better way to shake up his plans than to play right alongside him?

Of course, Tezuka had to admit he was also intrigued. Echizen would be a fine catch. 

Unlike Fuji, though, Tezuka wasn’t about to just put all of his effort into turning the boy gay and then leave him hanging. If he managed to turn Echizen, then he was going to keep his trophy close at hand, whether Fuji liked it or not. That would teach the tensai not to gamble things that were important to him…

*

Inui sat before his computer running a data analysis. Momo and Kaidoh had been at %3. Kawamura was at 1%, along with Tezuka. Oishi resided at 4% with Kikumaru at 5%. Inui originally figured himself at 2%. 

Of course, the captain would naturally have the highest ratio if he showed any interest, but Tezuka was already spoken for. How Fuji had ever gotten him into bed Inui would never figure out, but it wasn’t likely that Tezuka would pursue Echizen with Fuji on his hands.

However, Fuji’s interest changed things. If the tensai, who had a natural compatibility ratio of 50% or with anyone and everyone, managed to loosen Echizen up even a little, then everyone’s chances skyrocketed. Even Tezuka, by merit of his relationship with Fuji, would be affected.

Interesting data. Inui’s chances had already risen to 20% just by the variable of Fuji’s initiative. If he added in the new love juice he had created… 24% with a margin of 6% improvement, so possibly 30%.

The juice needed testing, but it would have to be someone with Echizen’s stubborn, unapproachable nature… 

Ah, Tezuka.


	3. 3%

Kaidoh invited Echizen for a run. Momo invited him to go out for burgers as usual. 

At first, that didn’t seem unusual to Kikumaru. Momo was always taking Echizen for burgers and dragging Kikumaru along when he was short on cash, and Kaidoh had offered for Echizen to join him on runs before.

What was out of the ordinary was O’chibi’s reaction. 

He stopped, turned around, glared at the two, and seemed to boil like a tea pot for a few seconds. Before he blew his top, he slowly turned back around and walked over to Kikumaru.

“Senpai, I’m hungry. Treat me to burgers?”

Kikumaru’s jaw almost dropped off. Weren’t Momo’s burgers good enough for him? Or was there something else going on…? The gossip radar went of, and Kikumaru grinned.

“Hoi, O’chibi! Just don’t eat me out of my savings, okay?” he cried, glomping Echizen.

Perfect and a half vision that he had, he saw Momo and Kaidoh start to seethe as he hugged the rookie. Something was indeed going on, and Kikumaru was determined to find out what.

It wasn’t that hard.

Not only Momo, but Kaidoh also followed them that afternoon. Oishi, wanting to keep an eye on the situation, called his mother and begged out of his errands. The mother of the team couldn’t let potential disaster go unchecked, after all.

It was a good thing Oishi did come, because he kept Momo and Kaidoh from tearing each other apart as they fought more and more with greater intensity than usual. Meanwhile, Kikumaru tried to pry information from Echizen who was firmly lip-locked on the subject of his two enthusiastic senpai.

Out of desperation, Kikumaru made a big mistake.

“Maybe they just want to seduce my cute little O’chibi, who is talented, attractive, and smart… and very, very glompable!” He laughed.

Echizen went pale. Very slowly, he finished chewing and swallowing, and turned to face Kikumaru.

“Not you, too, senpai,” he all but whispered.

“Hoi? Me too? Me too, what?” Kikumaru asked, confused. “Do I want to seduce you?”

Apparently that question was too much for Echizen, who tossed the rest of the wrapped burgers into his bag, grabbed a pack of fries, and took off, shouting, “Thanks for the food!” over his shoulder. Suddenly left with nothing but a harsh bill, two quarreling idiots, and a very busy Oishi, Kikumaru sniffled.

Oishi was at his side in an instant, and even Momo and Kaidoh stopped fighting to see what was wrong.

“Eiji,” Oishi sang. “Eiji, don’t cry. What happened?”

Bursting into tears, Kikumaru fell onto Oishi’s shoulder. “O’chibi doesn’t love me anymore!” he wailed.


	4. 4%

Tezuka received a call from Inui asking him to come over and help compile some fine details of the new training schedule. Though he wanted to know why it couldn’t be done over the phone, Tezuka decided to go anyway. He could do with a walk to stretch his legs after studying at his cramped desk for hours. 

He’d go over to Inui’s, then walk back home and crawl into bed with his new book. He’d studied enough for one night. Even Tezuka needed a little relaxation every once in a while.

When he arrived, Inui answered the door, called out to his parents, and then led Tezuka up to his room. He sat Tezuka down on the edge of his bed and handed the captain a cup of tea, which Tezuka sniffed suspiciously.

“Just Jasmine tea,” Inui told him. “I calculated that you would arrive while my mother’s recent batch was still hot.”

Just to be on the safe side, Tezuka sipped only a little to check the taste. It was indeed very hot, and Tezuka’s taste buds were momentarily blinded by the scalding liquid, but that was how he liked his tea. Trust Inui to know.

It was actually very good tea. Tezuka drank it down much quicker than usual, letting out a little sigh as the cup was emptied.

As Inui began to talk, sitting in front of his computer, Tezuka spied the pot sitting on Inui’s bedside table. Quietly, so as not to disturb the rambling data specialist, he refilled the cup. By the time Inui was done, Tezuka had passed out on the bed, having finished almost the entire pot.

*

Inui, giving the ‘Roman-tea-c’ time to kick in, filled Tezuka in on the current regimen of the team, before outlining his new proposal. It took nineteen minutes. Tezuka should have been just feeling the effects at twenty minutes. Turning in his swivel chair to check on Tezuka’s state, he gasped in shock, seeing the captain passed out on his bed.

Tezuka was flushed and breathing hard, even in sleep. Inui swallowed heavily. He dashed to the tea pot and hefted it. It was almost empty. Tezuka had sneakily been refilling his cup the whole time…

The dosage had been light. Just a tester. Spiked with a small dosage of a strong aphrodisiac that would simulate attraction at the lowest level, then love, then pure, unadulterated lust. 

Inui had carefully measured the first cup of tea. He had collected a lot of data on Tezuka so if it worked, he would be able to tell. However, the rest of the batch had continued infusing in the pot and the amount of aphrodisiac in there would have an elephant humping a rock.

Tezuka moaned softly… and squirmed.

This was not good. Perhaps Inui should call Fuji over… No. The tensai would kill him. He would just have to take care of this himself.

Closing his eyes to calm his suddenly bloodless brain, Inui forced himself to think clearly. Large amounts of the aphrodisiac would induce memory loss. Tezuka wouldn’t remember anything in the morning except listening to Inui and drinking some tea.

Good. Inui just had to get the aphrodisiac out of Tezuka’s system now… He glanced down at the captain’s raging erection. It wouldn’t be so unpleasant…


	5. Chapter 5

What was everyone’s problem? 

Seriously.

What were they on?

Inui told Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai that they were equally compatible with Echizen, and suddenly they both just had to have him? Why would Inui do that? Why was he calculating that stuff, anyway? And why did Kikumaru-senpai keep talking about those two liking him, and… and wanting to seduce him. On that note, what about all those things Kikumaru had called him? Smart, talented, cute… glompable, and attractive. Kikumaru thought he was attractive? What if Kikumaru did want to seduce him, and what if Momo and Kaidoh really tried…?

They were all acting like a bunch of perverts… Like his dad! That’s exactly who they reminded him of! 

Stupid old man. Stupid perverted, idiot father. 

Speak of the hentai.

“Oi! Ryooouuma! Come play!” the pervert in question called from the front gate.

The moron had probably been standing there waiting for Ryouma to come home. Well, fine. He could do with a bit of a workout. All the stress of avoiding Momo and Kaidoh’s advances, and then Kikumaru’s odd comments on top of it… 

“I don’t want to,” Ryouma answered, continuing into the house. He did, and he would, but he was going to make the old man wait while he finished off the rest of those burgers.

*

Twenty minutes later, Ryouma hit a left handed twist serve at his dad, just to get some of the frustration out. 

“You’ll have to do better than that!” the old pervert squawked, returning the serve easily over his shoulder. “So, did you go on a date this afternoon?”

Ryouma ignored him and hit the return hard.

“Come on, you can tell me. Who was today’s lucky girl?” Nanjiroh taunted as he countered the heavy ball with seemingly little effort.

“No one,” Ryouma muttered, hitting the ball across the court.

“Ahhh, so it was a lucky guy, then?” Feigning mortification, Najiroh held his racket to his forehead and spoke to the sky. “My son, my only son doesn’t even like girls! Whatever shall I do?” he wailed as he flung he body about in ‘despair’ and ‘accidentally’ returned the ball off his racket covered forehead.

“Stop messing around!” Ryouma shouted. “If you don’t take me seriously, you’ll lose!”

What kind of stupid idea was it to play against his father after such a crazy day? It was just like that damned old pervert to touch on the very subject that was bothering Ryouma the most.

He wasn’t gay. He didn’t like guys. So why were they all over him, all of a sudden?

If only he knew the half of it.


	6. 6%

Staring at the three cards he’d borrowed from his sister, Fuji tried to piece the puzzle together. Yumiko’s readings were usually spot on. Never before had she given a reading that didn’t make sense.

This one didn’t. Not even a little bit.

The Queen of Cups, the Prince of Staves, and the King of Swords.

Three separate face cards. The meanings didn’t flow at all, especially not in a past – present – future scenario.

Fuji didn’t know what to think. It was possible his sister had just had an off reading for once, but he didn’t think so. No. There had to be some deeper meaning in the cards.

There had been a fourth card that had fallen from the deck: The Wheel of Fate. 

That wasn’t so hard to figure out. It meant change, but the wheel could signify any kind of change, good or bad.

So really, all Fuji learned was that something was going to change. Something was going to change for the Queen of Cups, the Prince of Staves, and the King of Swords.

Could it be…?

Closing his eyes, Fuji thought about those three cards. He had to be the Queen. It was his reading and that was the first card displayed. Besides, he had been focusing specifically on Echizen and Tezuka while he shuffled and neither of them could be the Queen of Cups. 

Following that logic, Echizen had to be the Prince, and Tezuka the King. It made sense that the Captain would be the highest ranked of the cards, and that Echizen would be classed as royalty. Though an Ace would have made sense, as well.

Suddenly Fuji recalled something that Ryuzaki girl had once said. She’d called Echizen the ‘Prince of Tennis.’ Apparently that was a nickname he’d been given in America. Prince. Oujisama. Yes, the Prince of Staves had to be Echizen.

So a change was coming for the three of them, or relating to the three of them. But what? Could the ‘change’ be Echizen’s sexuality? But why was his card between Tezuka and Fuji’s? Was he going to come between them? Could that be what the wheel meant?

If Fuji concentrated on the descriptions of the cards rather than their ascribed meanings, he got the following: 

\- Queen of Cups. A happy card which indicates balance and harmony, also symbolizes high achievements made possible by the use of imagination. A woman who is highly imaginative and artistically gifted, affectionate and romantic in outlook, and creates an other worldly atmosphere around herself. A woman who lacks common sense, but is highly intuitive and sometimes psychic and dreamy. Atmospheres, other people, and events can easily influence her.  
However, this card was reversed, meaning instead, fecklessness. A woman who cannot be trusted. Someone who is a dreamer, unreliable, and cannot be depended upon. She is swift to change her opinions without reason or good cause. A woman who is perverse and can be given to hysteria. She may even lead others to destruction in pursuit of some idle fantasy.  
\- Prince of Staves: A lover of action, this is the card of someone who has a well-liked, energetic, confident, but sometimes unpredictable nature. He has an engaging temperament and his actions, sometimes a little swift, do tend to make sense with hindsight.  
\- King of Swords: This king is certainly a ruler. This man is a law-maker, someone with a rational, alert, and inventive mind. An advocate of law and order, and modernity to the expense of tradition. He has a tendency to be somewhat overcautious and leaves one project quickly to start on another. A man of independent judgment and an achiever in what he does.

Fuji knew his card wasn’t far from the mark. The Queen of Cups could easily signify him in many aspects, but in this situation, the reverse was also true. He had made a bad decision, it seemed.

Echizen’s card was pretty straight forward. It covered his personality easily, and also the fact that several members, if not all of their tennis club, were in some way attracted to him.

Tezuka. The King of Swords was a good card for him, and not only in title. A fighter and a leader; cautious, rule-conscious, but driven.

Sighing, Fuji placed the cards on his nightstand. What could he do? The wheel had been set in motion by him whether he liked it or not, so he was just going to have to see this through and do his best to control the outcome.

With that in mind, Fuji closed his eyes and decided he was going to go all out. He’d win this battle. Echizen would be his, and if Tezuka couldn’t handle his defeat then Fuji would keep the prince for himself.


	7. 7%

Tezuka moaned himself awake. His body moved by itself, thrusting up into whatever warm thing was curled around him, giving him pleasure.

He was so close… so close… This must be Fuji’s idea of a wake up call... Mmmm Fuji….

Tezuka moaned as he came, silently calling his lover’s name in his mind. No way was he giving Fuji the satisfaction of moaning his name after what the tensai pulled yesterday.  
No way in… Why was he still rock hard?

Groggily, Tezuka opened his eyes. “Inui… What the hell?” he mumbled, realizing now that he was no longer impending or enduring orgasm, that Fuji was not the one touching him. Rather, Inui was frowning and licking his hand, muttering to himself.

“Ah, you’re awake, Tezuka,” Inui muttered, stating the obvious.

Trying to function intelligently through the persistent hard on, Tezuka closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. 

“What are you doing?” he asked. “Why am I… Why am I still..?” He gestured to his crotch, blushing. 

Not only was he in Inui’s bed, but he was naked before the data specialist, covered in unsavory fluid, and he’d never been so hard in his life. Add to that the fact that Inui had just jerked him off and Tezuka was a very frustrating mix of angry, embarrassed, and very, very horny.

“As for what I am doing, I should think that would be obvious. You are in desperate need of release, and as Fuji would have my head if I alerted him to the problem, I am taking care of that for you. As for why… You drank a vast quantity of Roman-tea-c. It contains a strong aphrodisiac that, had you simply stuck to the one cup, would have confirmed my theories and completed my testing of the substance. Drinking almost the entire tea pot, however, has rendered you unconscious for fifteen minutes and you have now experienced three orgasms: The first with no aid, the second at the barest touch of my hand, and the third you are aware of.”

“Inui,” Tezuka panted. “I’m going to throw you off the team. Then, I’m going to kill you.”

“All in due time… captain,” Inui replied, adjusting his glasses.

An involuntary moan slipped past Tezuka’s lips. What the hell was wrong with him? The way Inui called him ‘captain’ sent a thrill of eagerness right to his erect cock.

He threw his head back onto the pillow, arching his back in frustration. Damn it, he needed to get off, now!

“Put your damned mouth to good use,” he hissed, even as he reached for himself.

Inui diverted his hand and bent over him. “Yes, captain,” the data specialist breathed, before taking Tezuka’s erection between his lips.

The heat was almost unbearable, the pleasure entirely painful… Burying his fingers in spiky blue hair, Tezuka began to fuck Inui’s mouth. 

He came in four thrusts.

*

[Several orgasms later…]

Inui had known the effects would be drastic but who would have thought Tezuka would act like this, even when drowned in aphrodisiac? Thoroughly glad he was the only one who would remember any of this, Inui decided to let go and enjoy himself. It was good data and he would never ever have another chance. Unless he slipped Tezuka some Roma-tea-c when… No. Bad Sadaharu.

The Roman-tea-c was for Echizen.

As Tezuka let go, unable to fight the unquenchable lust, Inui steered him in the most profitable direction. He had subtly prepared himself during the earlier, less coherent stages of Tezuka’s intoxication, just in case. 

Honestly, he had been hoping it would come to this. 

Nothing worked. Nothing gave Tezuka the satisfaction he so desired. Not hands, not skin, not lips, tongues, or teeth. 

The drug had to be milked from Tezuka’s system, and in order for either of them to get any sleep before morning practice–and sleep was essential or else Tezuka might not forget before excommunicating Inui from the tennis team–then Tezuka was going to have to come a lot more.

Ah, what Inui sacrificed for the sake of science. Or, rather, for the sake of scientifically seducing a certain, surly little someone.

As Tezuka came once more—this time from the combined stimulation of Inui’s hand on his cock and dexterous tongue licking his ass—Inui licked his erection clean and coated the appendage in saliva. He crawled over the captain, pressing back against the hardness now nestled between his ass cheeks.

He was very hard himself. Attending to Tezuka all this time had him leaking pre-cum with only the barest physical stimulation. Though he would have preferred to be the one ‘on top,’ this course was the best for removing the aphrodisiac from Tezuka’s body. 

Tezuka looked extremely sexy, laying there panting and biting his lip. His glasses had been abandoned earlier and his hair was tousled. His muscles rippled every so often with slight contractions. He arched as Inui took hold of his still rigid erection and held it to his entrance.

The data specialist closed his eyes and threw back his head as he slowly sat, taking Tezuka’s weeping cock inside himself. With one hand he held Tezuka’s erection steady. With the other, he both braced himself and reminded the captain to wait patiently.

Tezuka let out several quick pants, and then held his breath for a few seconds, repeating the pattern. He was close again.

Inui paused, his strong legs holding him in place as he gently rocked back and forth. Best to let Tezuka come when he needed and then continue. 

As Tezuka moaned and thrust just a little, releasing himself yet again, Inui flicked his thumb over the head of his own cock. Just watching Tezuka orgasm again and again was the experience of a lifetime. He would never, ever forget this night.

Tezuka’s release added more lubrication, and he hardened further again as he now slid more easily into Inui. Leaning forward a little so he didn’t squish Tezuka’s currently highly sensitive balls, Inui rested finally on the captain’s hips. 

He licked his lips, and pushed up his glasses. He was panting slightly himself.

Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to have sex with Tezuka under normal circumstances but the chances of that happening actually fell into negative percentages so he quickly killed the thought. Just this chance was more than he could ever have hoped for.

Bracing both hands on Tezuka’s chest, Inui began to ride him. He isolated his hips so that his motions didn’t force too much weight onto Tezuka’s chest and cause bruising. Fuji would certainly know something was up, then.

While Inui rode him, Tezuka came three times, taking several seconds longer to harden completely each time. The fourth time, Inui couldn’t stand it anymore, and he sat back and curled one hand around his own cock, stroking quickly as he tightened around the length in his ass. 

He collapsed over Tezuka, sweating and panting, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough. It was going to be a long night.


	8. 8%

When Tezuka woke up safe and warm in his own bed, he felt out of place. For some reason, he expected to wake up somewhere else.

He also felt a little hungover. He was probably just dehydrated, but he simply couldn’t be damned to get up, go all the way downstairs, and get a glass of water.

Hell, he couldn’t manage to open his eyes again let alone move. 

Why was he so exhausted?

Hadn’t he gone to Inui’s last night? Yes, he remembered sitting there and listening to Inui drone on… and drinking that delicious tea. Maybe he should visit Inui more often. The tea was very good.

But he didn’t remember coming home. Had the tea put him to sleep? Did Inui’s mother drive him home? Did Tezuka’s mother pick him up?

Why didn’t he remember?

As he tried desperately to figure that out—for no reason other than he didn’t know something and that simple fact bothered him—he came up with some very strange images. Well, not really images. 

Tezuka was remembering his dream from last night, but he couldn’t really piece it together, it was more of a feeling, really. A very erotic feeling. But for some reason, it didn’t ‘feel’ like Fuji. 

How strange. All of Tezuka’s erotic dreams revolved around Fuji. But this one… Maybe if Tezuka really had fallen asleep listening to Inui talk, then the data specialist had invaded his dreams. 

Ew. Tezuka did not want to have wet dreams concerning Inui.

But… If Tezuka really had slept so solidly from that point on, then why did he feel so exhausted?

Suddenly Tezuka realized that his alarm had been going off beside him for about five minutes. The chirping began to invade his brain, and somehow sent motion through his limbs. He reached out and slammed his hand down on the button to shut the damn thing up.

He had to get up. 

Tezuka always set his alarm for the latest possible time, because he never slept in. Once it was time to get up, he was awake, and ready, and he didn’t linger.

For some reason, he still couldn’t get himself to move. Was he sick?

Didn’t matter. He had to get to practice. The team needed him.

Besides, if he didn’t show up, then Fuji would have a free shot at Echizen while he wasn’t around, and that wasn’t acceptable.

Finally, Tezuka forced himself up in one jerk. Sitting up, staring blearily around, he noticed two things. One: his clothes were strewn on the floor, and he always folded everything and put it away before bed. Two: his boxer shorts were inexplicably squishy.

Somehow, Tezuka worked through the exhaustion, his body waking up bit by bit as he moved. He made it to the shower and washed away the evidence of the wet dream he did not want to remember.

Thinking of Fuji, he started to stroke himself as he did every morning.

Fuji had this way of inviting him that was very sexy. The tensai would sit on the edge of his bed, leaning back on his hands, his legs spread at the perfect angle and a slight, tempting tilt to his hips. He always seemed to be wearing the one thing that would perfectly frame his erection at certain angles, too, even if it was just his school uniform…

Something was wrong… Why wasn’t Tezuka getting hard?

Okay, something a little more graphic, then.

Fuji dipped his fingers in a bowl of cream and then slowly pressed them into his own ass, one by one. He writhed and moaned, rocking against his own fingers. Then, he withdrew them and beckoned, his fingers still glistening with cream. 

Tezuka crawled towards him and licked the fingers off first, one by one, tasting the cream, and tasting Fuji. Then he took hold of the tensai’s thighs and lifted his hips for better access. He wanted all of that cream.

As his tongue swiped slowly over Fuji’s entrance, dipping in just a little…

Sighing, Tezuka turned the water off. This was going nowhere.

He knew he had great sexual stamina so why couldn’t he get it up after just one wet dream? If it was really about Inui, had the content scarred him so badly that his subconscious wouldn’t let him get hard?

Was he going to have to see a psychiatrist about this?

Hopefully his sudden impotency was related to the exhaustion he was feeling. Maybe he really was sick.

He really hoped he was sick.

*

Inui sneezed. He frowned, pausing with his fork sticking out of a sausage. 

Was he getting sick? Certainly not. The chances were very low. 10% - 20% at the most.

Shrugging it off, he continued eating his breakfast. 

Inui had decided to set his alarm a little earlier this morning as he calculated that he would be sluggish and sore. And he was.

He had asked his mother to drive the practically unconscious Tezuka home at about eleven last night, saying that they had had much important business to discuss regarding tennis and that the poor captain was exhausted from training hard. By twelve, Inui had been rather stiff. 

He took a hot shower and then crawled into bed, abandoning various calculations without even closing down the files on his computer. When he woke, he reached immediately for the pain killers and water glass he’d placed by his bedside table and then re-set his alarm for twenty minutes later when the drugs were sure to have kicked in.

So aside from being a little slow, Inui felt otherwise normal, if a little raw… According to the calculations he’d tossed about in the shower this morning, Inui learned that Tezuka must regularly have superb sexual stamina to withstand so many consecutive orgasms, even with the Roman-tea-c. 

Though Inui was wiped out from last night, he couldn’t help but feel jealous of Fuji. The normal rounds those two must experience would surely be amazing.

Oh well, one experiment down. Inui moved on. Next would have to be Kaidoh, and that would be his last test. This time he would have to get the dosage right, because after the viper, there was no one else close enough to Echizen’s personality to test, and Inui certainly wouldn’t risk trying Tezuka twice.

He began to formulate a plan.


	9. 9%

“Echizen,” Fuji crooned. “Warm up with me.”

It wasn’t so much of a request as a confirmation. Nobody would dare argue.

“Ha~i,” Echizen drawled, his racket tossed over his shoulder.

Busy with getting the big seduction underway, Fuji failed, at first, to notice the way Tezuka’s feet dragged. In fact, he only became aware of the captain’s odd sluggishness when he realized that Tezuka was in no way trying to hinder or outdo him. In fact, the captain wasn’t even paying attention.

“Fuji-senpai,” Echizen began, abandoning his serve, ball in hand. “Is it just me, or is Tezuka-buchou sleeping?”

Fuji turned towards the figure slumped on a bench and tilted his head to the side. Tezuka was indeed sleeping. And snoring.

Others had begun to notice, too. It looked like Oishi was fretting, while Eiji was staring in unabashed awe. Kaidoh and Momo were arguing. Kawamura was trying to break them up, while simultaneously watching over the sleeping captain.

Inui was… not scribbling in his notebook. Why wasn’t Inui taking notes on this? Surely it was excellent data. It was inarguable proof that Tezuka did, in fact, sleep.

Not that Fuji didn’t know that already. Tezuka slept like a baby after sex.

Fuji’s smirk suddenly disappeared. Tezuka was sleeping just like he usually did after a good few rounds… Fuji had certainly not gotten laid last night.

He sidled over and stood in front of the captain, his body creating a shadow. Apparently appreciating the shade, Tezuka sighed and shifted slightly before falling deeper into sleep.

“Tezuka,” Fuji called softly. When that failed, he resisted the urge to shout, and instead made his voice even sweeter. “Te~zuka…” His smile twitched.

He gently held Tezuka chin, leaned over, and hissed into the captain’s ear. “You’d better wake up now, or you’ll lose the respect of your precious pillar.”

When that failed, Fuji slowly turned towards a conspicuous Inui, who was holding ball and racket still rather than paper and pen. As he noticed Fuji’s observance, his eyes suddenly widened in realization of his error.

Fuji could almost taste his fear.

“We… should probably let him sleep,” Oishi said uncertainly.

Fuji hummed agreement, his smile fixed a little too solidly. “I’ll wake him before class.”

Fuji had better things to attend to. Tezuka was going to regret giving Fuji the advantage of a whole morning to work on Echizen.

“As Tezuka is otherwise occupied and unable to guide us,” the tensai began, “How about we teach Echizen some doubles?”

Oishi ‘almost’ looked like he would argue but when Fuji’s forced smile turned on him, he relented. “Okay, I’ll-”

“I’ll be his partner,” Fuji cut in, as if Oishi had not spoken.

*

Ryouma was really lucky. It looked like Fuji-senpai had noticed his plight concerning unwanted attention. The tensai had not only rescued him from numerous warm-up offers that morning, but had also kept him from having to play doubles with Momo, Kaidoh, or even Kikumaru-senpai.

It was a huge relief to know that Fuji-senpai was on his side. He didn’t have to worry about being hit on while under the protective shadow of the tensai.

He couldn’t help wondering what was wrong with the captain, though… Tezuka-buchou slept right through morning practice in a very uncomfortable position. He must have been exhausted.

Fuji, very uncharacteristically, snapped that Tezuka was just showing weakness, and that they should forget all about it. He then proceeded to whisper some interesting strategies into Ryouma’s ear.

It was hard to concentrate on what Fuji was saying with that warm breath tickling his ear but Ryouma managed to follow along after repeating it in his mind. He wasn’t particularly fond of doubles but he didn’t mind humoring Fuji-senpai this once. After all, it kept him away from Momo and Kaidoh.

*

Inui was a nervous wreck all day. Fuji reminded him of a porcelain doll in a horror film. Its expression never changed but there was just something about it that promised misery and death.

Despite the similar impression he was getting from the tensai, Inui managed to make it through classes, practice, and get home with no fatal incidents. He had been too distracted to implement his plan concerning Kaidoh, but all in all, a day he had survived Fuji’s almost certain wrath was a good day.

As he slipped his shoes off by the front door, Inui sighed a breath of relief. He was a moment too soon, though.

Somehow, Fuji came out of his living room, escorted by Inui’s mother, as the data specialist was ascending the stairs. It was too late to escape because Fuji instantly cut off the route, walking up behind Inui and placing gentle hands on his shoulders.

His mother and Fuji finished up a polite exchange as the tensai led the trembling, stuttering data specialist upstairs. 

Imminent. Doom.

The moment Inui’s door closed, Fuji’s grip turned malevolent and the bright show he had put on for Inui’s mother melted away. Inui found himself in his computer chair, facing the screen, an inwardly livid tensai draped over his shoulder.

“Tell me, Inui,” Fuji began far too sweetly. “What was Tezuka doing over here last night?”

Inui stiffened as he immediately understood that he was beyond trapped. “How… How do you know he was here?” Inui stuttered.

Fuji hummed dangerously, his lips brushing Inui’s ear. “What did you do to him?”

The sound was ‘almost’ amusement, but Inui knew he was ‘very’ dead.

The data specialist closed his eyes. In any other situation, the sexuality dripping from Fuji, and the tensai’s proximity, would have him rock solid. Right now, he was moments away from pissing his pants.

“Roman-tea-c isn’t supposed to have such drastic effects. It was only supposed to be a test, just enough so that I could gauge Tezuka’s attraction. It would have worn off in an hour.” Fuji’s grip tightened on his shoulders. “Tezuka drank too much. He sneakily finished off the tea pot and… and went into a state of constant arousal.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” There was no forced sweetness now, only a flat, deep, dangerous tone.

“I was afraid!” Inui squeaked. 

“Judging by Tezuka’s exhaustion today, I suspect I may actually have thanked you…” Fuji let the moment of hope linger. “Last night. Today, I’m having a very hard time not ripping your throat out with my nails.” Indeed he was, but he continued to restrain himself, switching gears while Inui was in such a… forthcoming mood. “This ‘Roman-tea-c’. Who’s it for?”

“E-Echizen,” Inui stammered.

Fuji slowly smirked. So, Inui was in on it, too, huh? “I want data. I want Tezuka’s chances if he were to get involved. I want complete statistics on any hints of attraction Echizen has experienced, and Inui… I want that tea.”

“It’s… It’s not complete!” Inui argued. “Last night’s experiment failed.”

“Then finish it,” Fuji hissed. “But if a drop of that touches Tezuka’s tongue again, I’ll hang your balls from my cactus collection.”

“I’ll email you everything I have,” Inui whimpered, terrified.

Once Fuji was gone, Inui stayed frozen in his chair for at least ten minutes. He wasn’t a coward and he wasn’t easily intimidated, but by the time he managed to copy and paste an email and then pry himself out of his chair, he needed a change of pants.

Fuji unleashed was a truly terrifying experience.


	10. 10%

Damn it. Tezuka had taken the whole day to recuperate, and he’d given Fuji one hell of a head start. No way was he going to let that continue. He had to take drastic action. It was time for a little home visit…

But he needed an excuse. A good one. He didn’t want Echizen suspicious, because Fuji would be seeming like the rookie’s saving grace, right now… Ah, perfect. Tezuka could play that card, too.

*

“Ryouuuma! Get the doooor!”

“Ku’so oyaji!” Ryouma yelled back from his bedroom.

Useless old man. He probably had his hand on his dick in the bathroom, and was therefore unable to answer the sharp knock at the door. 

Oh well, it wasn’t like Ryouma wasn’t used to it. He sighed, setting down his tennis magazine and trampling down the stairs.

He opened the door, intending to be grumpy and just a touch rude—having been roused from his fascinating reading, and all—when his Buchou’s stoic face cam into view.

He blinked. “Buchou,” he muttered, surprised, in the exact tone that the word had previously sounded in his mind. “Uhh-”

“Ah. Echizen.”

Ryouma forgot to invite the visitor in. He forgot to speak. He forgot pretty much everything.

What in the hell was buchou doing at his house?

“May I…?”

“Oh! Uh, come in,” Ryouma invited belatedly, stepping aside.

Tezuka looked around politely, then returned his attention to Ryouma. “I was wondering if perhaps we could have a little chat,” he said. “Shall I wait in your room while you make some tea?” he suggested, seemingly amused.

Ryouma almost blushed. He wasn’t exactly the good host type but he suddenly wished he hadn’t shown that weakness to his buchou. What was Tezuka doing, showing up out of the blue anyway? Wasn’t it polite to give fair warning?

He quickly pointed out his room at the top of the stairs, and then rushed to the kitchen. Thankfully, his mother was there washing the dishes and agreed to make some tea for him—Ryouma wasn’t very good at it at all.

As he waited, he grew increasingly more nervous. What could Tezuka-buchou want to chat about? Did he even have the capability for chatting? Did Ryouma, for that matter? Well, he could probably chat about tennis, but why would buchou come over to his house at 9:00pm to chat about tennis?

Something was definitely up.

Ryouma nudged the slightly open door with his foot, carrying in the tea tray. Tezuka quickly made space for it on Ryouma’s desk. He smiled, then, and Ryouma was momentarily thrown off—that smile wasn’t something one saw often. He couldn’t help smiling in reply as he set the tray down.

Tezuka didn’t speak right away, opting instead to drink his tea. He perched on the edge of Ryouma’s bed, watching Ryouma from beneath his glasses.

A little self conscious, Ryouma sipped at his own tea, watching Karupin roll around with a stray tennis ball. Suddenly, the cat froze. She was on her back, the ball balanced precariously on her tummy. She’d been batting it from side to side but now it rolled away and she ignored it, her eyes locked onto Tezuka.

She flipped rather gracefully, and Ryouma watched warily as she approached his buchou. He hoped she didn’t mistake him for an overgrown scratching post. However, she leaped delicately into his lap and dipped her tongue into his tea, purring contentedly. 

Tezuka glanced at Ryouma, shocked at the cat’s odd behavior but when Ryouma shrugged, he allowed Karupin to continue to drink from his cup, petting her gently. And there was that smile again—who would have thought Tezuka-buchou was a cat person?

Suddenly, buchou cleared his throat. “Echizen,” he began. “A certain situation has come to light, that I wanted to ask you about.”

“So ask,” Ryouma prompted. He wasn’t one to batt about formalities.

Tezuka delayed, reaching over to place his teacup on the desk. Karupin latched onto his thumb in protest but he didn’t even react so she played with the little limb as Tezuka continued to speak.

“As your buchou, I feel it’s my responsibility to make sure you’re comfortable… within the team. Momoshiro and Kaidoh have-”

“Oh, that,” Ryouma muttered darkly. 

That was what Tezuka buchou had come to ‘chat’ about? How embarrassing.

“Echizen, you don’t have to put up with unwanted attention. If you would like, I could have a word with the two of them, and-”

“Arigatou, buchou,” Ryouma cut in. “But it’s my problem and I’ll deal with it. Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai are my friends, and I don’t want to hurt them.”

“But you don’t wish to get involved with them, either,” Tezuka stated rather than questioned.

Ryouma slowly shook his head. He couldn’t believe he was talking about this with buchou. “I don’t… like guys… like that,” he explained, uncomfortably.

For some reason, he didn’t feel comfortable at all, saying that to his buchou. His skin started to crawl, and he looked away from Tezuka’s eyes and at Karupin instead. She was licking buchou’s thumb.

“Well, if you change your mind, you can always come to me,” Tezuka told him.

Ryouma’s brain ground to a halt. 

If he changed his mind about liking guys, Tezuka-buchou was offering… No. Couldn’t be. Suddenly, Ryouma laughed. If he changed his mind about Tezuka talking to Momo and Kaidoh, then Ryouma could ask him to do so! Of course. What a ridiculous thought.

“Something amusing?” Tezuka asked, raising his eyebrow as Karupin twisted around in his lap, wondering how best to capture that elusive thumb and make it her own.

Ryouma cut off his slightly nervous laughter, clearing his throat. “For a second I thought… I just thought you meant if I changed my mind about… about liking guys,” he explained, grinning slightly to show that he was aware of how ludicrous that thought was.

“Well, that too,” Tezuka replied, without the slightest trace of humor.

Damn, he was good. Ryouma would hate to play poker with him. 

Grinning, he took the cat that was handed off to him. “Of course, buchou,” he replied, seriously.

“I’ll take this downstairs for you,” Tezuka offered, turning his back as he picked up the tray. “Get some sleep. I expect to see you on time tomorrow morning.”

“Hai, buchou,” Ryouma agreed.

A little later, as he lay in bed, Ryouma suddenly felt less amused by their exchange. Surely Tezuka had been joking… He just wasn’t aware that it was customary to smile during a joke so people knew you didn’t mean it. Naturally. Tezuka wasn’t hitting on him.

Not at all.


	11. 11%

Inui spent lunch time in the school labs brewing a new batch of Roman-tea-c. When it was done, he ran a short series of tests on the potency and delectability, then carefully measured and mixed some into the water bottle he had appropriated from Kaidoh that morning.

He would drink it during practice, when his body was in a rush to absorb the liquid, and by the time Inui suggested they jog home together, Kaidoh would just be feeling the effects. Nothing could go wrong as long as Kaidoh stuck to this dose. It would not be another fiasco like the Tezuka chapter of experimentation.

As had been happening all day, Inui went through a peculiar thought pattern. At first he was smug with his impending success. Then, he grew instantly angry that Fuji would seek to take that from him! Almost a split second after the initial burst of anger, he retreated into himself like a wounded puppy, remembering Fuji’s vicious threat. 

Taking deep, calming breaths, Inui reminded himself that he didn’t have to hand all of his treasure over. Although Fuji might expect that and ask for the rest. In which case, he should prepare several backup canteens, and keep a copy of the recipe locked away in his most private folders. One could never be too careful when dealing with a tensai.

*

Kaidoh gulped down water and then ran back onto the courts for the next round of accuracy training. He was in good condition, and he felt… well, good.

Except that Momo was getting increasingly irritating. Stupid moron kept trying to get close to Echizen. Kaidoh wasn’t going to allow that. Not at all. If it came down to a decision between him and that stupid Momoshiro, Echizen was going to choose him. And Kaidoh had the secret weapon.

Echizen’s cat liked him.

He smiled, thinking of the pretty little kitty. She really was a very sweet little thing, and she adored him. Animals have good instincts. Surely Echizen would appreciate that. Kaidoh would like to see that idiot Momo get on a cat’s good side…

*

Momo almost growled as he noticed Kaidoh closing in on Echizen in the locker room.

“Echizen,” the damn viper muttered. “How’s your cat?”

Any moron could see Echizen was wary of him, and definitely trying to avoid him. Stupid viper.

“Oi, Mamushi! Moron, you’ve got it all wrong. That line only works when hitting on girls!” he snapped, grinning at his own joke.

“Shut up, I was talking about his pet,” Kaidoh hissed. 

“Huh? What did you want to pet?”

Rearing for a fight, Momo got right up in the viper’s face, just daring the moron to hit him. What he didn’t expect, was to be shoved up against the lockers, Kaidoh’s strong grip holding him firmly. He was about to remember to struggle, when something shifted in the viper’s eyes.

Suddenly, Kaidoh’s lips were on his, and a strong, warm tongue forced its way into his mouth. He was frozen with shock for a moment as several thoughts raced through his mind at once. WHY was Kaidoh kissing him? That stupid, moronic… damn it! That wasn’t fair! He wanted Echizen to kiss him. He wanted to kiss Echizen. 

Before he could stop himself, he responded, just a little, but it was enough to weird him out for hours after Inui dragged the stupid viper off of him. 

What the hell?

*

Everything had been going according to plan. Everything was perfect.

Except that Kaidoh was kissing Momoshiro.

Kaidoh. 

Kissing. 

Momoshiro.

That could be the result of nothing but the Roman-tea-c. But there was no way it could be working this strong, this fast.

Throwing a panicked glance at Fuji’s whose eyes were dangerously open, Inui dragged Kaidoh from his rival. He noticed the play of confusion and anger over Kaidoh’s face, and decided he had to get him out of there before anyone started asking questions.

“Ne, Kaidoh,” he began, quickly thinking up at least a passable excuse. “I think you need to warm down properly. Let’s run off today’s adrenaline together on the way home,” he suggested.

Too confused to argue, Kaidoh agreed.

“Inui-senpai,” Kaidoh muttered, slowing a little more to speak as they were almost at Inui’s house. “I don’t know what happened back there. One moment I was angry at that stupid Momoshiro, and then… suddenly, I just… had to kiss him. I feel strange.” He slowed to a stop, and looked up at Inui, looking for all the world like a lost kitten. “I’m too warm to jog anymore.”

Inui noted the flush in his cheeks and the slight dilation of his pupils. If he could have done so without attracting suspicion, he would have looked down at Kaidoh’s crotch. He fully expected to see a noticeable hard-on.

There was no way the dosage should work this fast, or this strongly. Kaidoh was only supposed to exhibit enough stimulation to willingly respond to Inui’s advances. What had gone wrong?

“Did you drink enough water today?” he asked. 

“Yes, senpai,” Kaidoh agreed. “The same as I usually do. Actually, I drank extra, because I had a headache after lunch and took some aspirin. Maybe that’s it. Some drugs don’t agree with me too well… Senpai, can I rest at your house for a little while… if that’s okay?”

Oh, the luck! “Of course, Kaidoh…” Shit. Drug intollerance. Damn it, Inui remembered reading that in Kaidoh’s medical record, too. How could he have failed to calculate that in?

Still, it was amusing that Kaidoh was trying to pass off his spontaneous state of arousal on aspirin. No pain killers would ever affect a person like this.

Inui laid his hand gently on Kaidoh’s shoulder, intrigued by the soft intake of breath and widening of eyes. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” he offered.

“Thank you, senpai,” Kaidoh breathed.

Inui couldn’t help wondering if Kaidoh was aware how sensual he sounded right then. He gently slid his hand down the tender, well developed muscles of Kaidoh’s back, softly pushing him forward. The Roman-tea-c shouldn’t affect Kaidoh’s sensitivity, only to the point of making him aroused. The fact that Kaidoh shivered under his touch intrigued Inui greatly.

He suddenly found himself very eager to collect the viper’s sexual data. Very eager, indeed…

*

Kaidoh was fucking hard. He didn’t know how or why but he was, and it wouldn’t go away. He tried thinking of stupid Momo, but his mind kept wandering back to that kiss. He tried thinking of girls, but for some reason, Fuji kept popping up.

Meanwhile, every time Inui touched him, just a casual pat, or an innocent brush… He felt like his body was on fire.

So, when he was led into his senpai’s bedroom, he could hardly stop himself from grabbing Inui’s hand and pulling the data specialist towards him. He briefly wondered what the hell he was doing as he paused, his lips a mere breath from Inui’s.

“Kaidoh, wait,” Inui whispered.

But he couldn’t. He pressed his lips against Inui’s almost moaning at the contact as his eyes slid closed. He felt so hot all over, and he was so damn hard…

“Kaidoh…” Inui’s hands ran over his arms, and Kaidoh shivered under the touch.

God, but he wanted Inui so badly at that moment. He slipped his hands around his senpai’s waist, beneath his shirt, feeling the muscles that had developed with time and care.

Inui-senpai really did have a very sexy body. And he’d earned it through training. Kaidoh appreciated that.

As Inui sucked gently on his tongue, Kaidoh felt surprisingly weak, like some stupid girl. He shuddered again, grinding his aching erection against Inui’s thigh.

The moment his lips were his own again, he hissed. “Inui-senpai…”

“Kaidoh… I can’t,” Inui moaned.

He sounded like he damn well could!

“Please,” Kaidoh whispered. He needed release very badly, and he desperately wanted it to come from Inui right now.

Inui pushed him away. “It’s not right,” he said, looking flushed, and sounding surprisingly out of breath for someone so fit. “I can’t take advantage of your altered state.”

“Altered…” Kaidoh frowned. “What?” What the hell was Inui talking about? He hissed again, slowly blinking, and trying to focus on something other than his throbbing, aching cock. “Inui-senpai… What did you do to me?”

“I’m sorry, Kaidoh,” Inui whispered, sounding rather contrite. “I… I didn’t remember that you have a strong reaction to some drugs. I…” Inui turned away, unable to look him in the eyes. “I’m so sorry. I thought you would be the perfect test subject to see if my aphrodisiac would work on Echizen. You kissed Momoshiro because the drug worked too fast and too strong. That’s why… I can’t… It would be very wrong.”

*

Funny, he hadn’t felt much guilt when it had been Tezuka. Actually, it was more fear of Fuji than guilt. 

He tried to tell himself that it was just because Kaidoh would remember, that he hadn’t consumed nearly enough Roman-tea-c for his memory to be altered. He wanted to believe that.

“Senpai…”

Kaidoh sounded shocked and hurt. And well he should be. The solemn, withdrawn viper had just embarrassed himself by not only kissing his sworn enemy, but by trying to seduce his admired senpai. He must be very embarrassed.

“I’m just a test to you?”

The question caught Inui off guard, and he turned and blurted out, “No! Of course not. I just… your personality is so very much like Echizen’s, and I thought… Kaidoh, I am sorry.”

And he was.

Especially because he just ran a rudimentary data check based on his self observations, and had suddenly realized that he and Kaidoh had a compatibility rating of over 80%. Why hadn’t he noticed that before?


	12. 12%

Kaidoh knew he should be angry. Very angry. But all he was hurt, and very, very horny.

He really admired Inui. His senpai was strong, determined, hard working, extremely smart, and… and how could he like Echizen enough to test some stupid drug out on Kaidoh?

Hang on… Didn’t Kaidoh like Echizen, too? He suddenly wasn’t so sure. Suddenly he almost hated the little brat. It wasn’t fair that Inui would do this to him, just to… 

Damn it. He was NOT jealous.

Damn Echizen. Damn Momoshiro. And damn fucking Inui.

“Inui-senpai,” Kaidoh hissed, his voice shaking with lust – no, with anger. He grabbed the data specialist by the collar and forced eye contact. He glared at his senpai, wondering if he should risk cutting himself on those glasses when he punched… 

His hand trembling, he slowly removed the glasses and placed them on Inui’s desk. Then, he braced himself, and landed a solid kiss right on Inui’s lips.

Oops. That wasn’t the plan.

…

Oh well.

*

Inui was fully willing to take a punch or two for his stupid, selfish mistake. He was ready for it. Waiting. 

He was not ready for Kaidoh to suddenly kiss him again, and he almost jumped out of his skin. Kaidoh didn’t hesitate, though, and Inui found himself dragged into the deepest, most sensual kiss of his life.

“Inui-senpai,” Kaidoh breathed against his lips, “Do you still want that damn brat?”

“I’m… I’m not so sure anymore, Kaidoh,” Inui replied, honestly.

“Inui-senpai… Please, fuck me,” Kaidoh begged.

As the known world collapsed around him, Inui agreed. How could he refuse?

“If that’s what you want…” He hesitated, though. He had to know… “Kaidoh, are you sure?”

“…I’ll hit you later for drugging me, but the least you can do is. Make. It. Stop.” Kaidoh growled.

That was fair enough logic, and Inui could, indeed, make it stop… 

He backed Kaidoh towards the bed, allowing the second year to make the pace by removing his own clothes. Inui followed momentarily, his eyes glued to the familiar, but suddenly highly arousing sight of Kaidoh’s sexy, muscled body. He noticed, with pleasure, that Kaidoh’s eyes were similarly glued to his own revealed skin. 

Hooking his ankle about Kaidoh’s, he looked into the viper’s eyes, asking and receiving permission before he pulled Kaidoh’s foot out from under him, toppling both of them onto the bed. Unable to resist, he ran his hands over those hard muscles, framed by taught skin. Every ridge and line made him harder, and when his fingers brushed over Kaidoh’s nipple and earned a long, low groan, he wondered how he’d never noticed this diamond in the rough right in front of his eyes…

“How should we go about this, Kaidoh?” he asked, though he had his suspicions based on data. “Do you wish to take it slow, or fast?”

“Fast,” Kaidoh groaned instantly. “Please!”

“Very well…” Inui hooked his fingers into Kaidoh’s shorts and pulled them off, rather skillfully, dropping his own beside them on the floor. Then, he crawled back up Kaidoh’s body and kissed him hard.

As their tongues slid together, Kaidoh’s body arched towards Inui’s, and he smirked into the kiss, far too gently touching the straining, aching erection that Kaidoh sported. Even that soft touch drew delicious sounds, though, and Inui’s own patience quickly fled. 

He would never have expected Kaidoh to be so highly sensitive. It was a nice surprise.

Fumbling with one hand in his bedside drawer, Inui pulled out the bottle of lubricant he kept there for masturbatory purposes. He poured some on his hands and rubbed them together, making sure his right hand fingers were nice and slick.

“Inui-senpai.” Kaidoh grabbed his wrist as it descended. “Just you,” the viper panted. “That’s all I need.”

Inui raised his eyebrows, and almost argued, but he knew Kaidoh was very conscious of keeping his body healthy. If he said that was what he needed, then he meant it. 

Slipping his hand out of Kaidoh’s grasp, he redirected it to his own painful erection, slowly stroking himself as he stared into heavily lust darkened eyes. 

“This isn’t your first time, then,” he concluded aloud, just to be on the safe side.

Kaidoh’s flushed cheeks acquired a much deeper blush and he averted his gaze. “It’s not.”

Though he was burning with curiosity, Inui let it go. Kaidoh was obviously uncomfortable talking about it. Besides, he had better things to be doing, now.

He settled over Kaidoh, staring down into the younger boy’s eyes. “You look exceptional when you blush like that,” he whispered.

“Inui-senpai…” Now Kaidoh looked back up at him. “I… I don’t think this is just that drug. I mean, I can’t really be sure, but… I think I might like you.”

Inui was temporarily floored. “I believe I may have just realized my own feelings for you as well,” he said once he found his voice.

He meant it. He was no longer thinking of Echizen at all.

“Senpai… You look really good without your glasses,” Kaidoh said quietly, his blush returning almost at full force.

Inui grinned. He reached up and pulled the bandanna from Kaidoh’s hair, tousling it in the process. “And you,” he said, “look damn sexy without that bandanna. I like your hair.”

Kaidoh smiled slightly, and with that, Inui shifted until he was positioned at Kaidoh’s entrance. He didn’t ask for permission again, but he did search Kaidoh’s eyes for any hint of doubt. Finding none, he slowly pressed himself inside.

*

Kaidoh hissed in an exquisite mixture of pleasure and pain. He wasn’t a masochist, but he was accustomed to rough, somewhat inexperienced sex so he had come to enjoy being taken with a little pain. 

It had been a long time but he felt no more pain than before, though all of his nerve endings seemed to be on fire. He knew he was making a lot of unnecessary sounds, and his arms were around Inui’s neck in a death-grip, but he hardly cared. It felt so good.

Maybe it was that damn aphrodisiac, or maybe it was just because it had been so long, or maybe Inui was just good, but he had never felt like this before. He felt a sudden sense of loss when Inui stopped but he belatedly realized hat it was because his senpai was buried to the hilt and couldn’t go any further. 

Kaidoh moaned. “Senpai…” His heart rate was skyrocketing. “Please.” He felt hot all over. “Fuck me, please!”

Inui kissed him, then, and Kaidoh was so overcome with sensation and, oddly enough, emotion, that he wanted to cry. But then Inui’s tongue brushed his one last time and the data specialist began to move, creating sparks that started a firestorm within Kaidoh’s body.

*

If Inui had gained anything from his night with Tezuka, it was an increased sexual stamina. Thus, dripping with sweat, his whole body trembling, he still had not come, even after Kaidoh’s second orgasm. 

Still under the influence of Roman-tea-c, Kaidoh was hard again within minutes, as Inui had calculated, and he resumed with slow, deep thrusts, just feeling the amazing sensation of his skin sliding against Kaidoh’s muscles, his cock trapped inside that tight, firm ass.

Every so often, Kaidoh muttered something, encouraging him, begging him, and soon, Inui found himself nearing his limit. Regretting that this amazing experience would soon end, he lifted Kaidoh’s hands above his head, pinning his wrists, and began to fuck him hard and fast, rocking the bed.

Kaidoh moaned and cried out, arching up, his whole body tensing. Angling himself instinctively, Inui slammed into Kaidoh’s prostate one thrust before he came, dragging the viper along with him.

It was incredible. Inui had never felt so alive, and yet he felt he might die with the pleasure. Kaidoh’s hands somehow came free and every part of the viper clung to him—arms, legs, torso, cheek… They were locked together, trembling and convulsing, and when they both collapsed, sated, they didn’t separate an inch.

Exhaustion seeping into his muscles, Inui dragged himself up and looked down into Kaidoh’s face. He wasn’t sure where this was going to go—especially considering what he had done—but he suddenly wanted Kaidoh to be his, more than anything else.

Before he could voice that thought, Kaidoh spoke.

“Senpai,” he said, “I’m too tired to hit you. Just kiss me, instead.”

That was all that needed to be said.


	13. 13%

Momo sighed heavily. Just what did it take for him to have a good day anymore?

He couldn’t even talk to Echizen lately without a permission slip. And where in the hell was he supposed to get a permission slip to talk to his best friend? Since they didn’t exist, Momo was avoided time and time again.

Especially with Fuji in the way. 

Momo wasn’t as stupid as Kaidoh looked. That sneaky bloody tensai was acting all innocent while slowly sinking his paws into Echizen right in front of everyone’s eyes.

Damn him.

And damn Kaidoh, damn it!

Stupid viper.

What was his problem, anyway?

Momo raised his hand to his lips, still unable to believe Kaidoh had actually kissed him. In front of everyone. 

He just didn’t understand. He and Kaidoh had been at each others throats for months. Hell, they’d always been at each others throats, but now there wasn’t that pesky romance stuff getting in the way.

It had been weird enough when he and Kaidoh had realized they wanted each other almost as much as they loathed each other halfway through their first year at Seigaku. It had been worse when they realized that ‘almost’ wasn’t enough.

They’d agreed to disagree and broken up without looking back. Well, rarely looking back.

Every so often, Momo would close his eyes and just remember those few, really good moments when he and Kaidoh had been at peace together. Or, even better, when they’d both been completely overcome by passion.

Kaidoh was the first and only person Momo had ever had sex with. A lot of the time it was aggressive, rough, and sensual. Sometimes… Every so often… it had been romantic and maybe even sweet.

Kaidoh had the sexiest blush. Usually that was what triggered Momo’s memory. He wouldn’t ever shake the image of Kaidoh’s beautifully flushed cheeks as the viper arched up off the bed, his slick skin and hard muscles connecting with Momo’s naked flesh.

Damn that was hot.

Sighing, Momo rolled over, curling up his knees as if wishing his hard on would go away. That was the last thing he needed.

After Kaidoh’s affectionate little display, he was confused enough.

He knew there was nothing between him and Kaidoh anymore. He wasn’t even tempted to think that maybe Kaidoh wanted him back, and he refused to stoop so low as to want that stupid, stubborn snake. Not again. 

It just wouldn’t work.

And apparently, it would never work with Echizen, either. So Momo had to do something. At least he and Kaidoh had that stability of loathing behind them. Momo was going to have to work to get his best friend back, and more than anything, he wanted that. 

But it was so hard. Where he’d started to pursue Echizen out of competition with Kaidoh, he now found himself in a difficult position. He’d actually really fallen for the brat.

Momoshiro was really in trouble.

*

“Hey, Kawamura-senpai… Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Echizen. Anything.”

“Even something personal?”

“Ah, um… I guess… Maybe not too personal, but if it’s important…”

“It’s very important.”

“Oh, okay. What is it, then?”

“Kawamura-senpai… Are you straight?”

Kawamura stopped in his tracks, surprised by the blunt question. “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“No reason,” Echizen replied with a sigh of relief. “I just had to make sure. So, do you mind if I walk with you for a while?”

“If you’d like,” Kawamura agreed, though with a nervous laugh as he was still confused by the question of his sexuality. “Don’t you live in a different direction entirely?”

“Yeah, but… If you don’t mind, senpai, I need to talk to someone. Someone straight.”

“Oh. Well, sure. I guess that’d be okay.”

So the two set off.

“What’s bothering you, Echizen?” Kawamura asked once they were clear of prying ears.

“It’s kind of complicated… Well, not really.” Echizen sighed running a hand through his hair. “Senpai, have you noticed how strange everyone’s been acting lately?”

“Oh, you mean Momoshiro and Kaidoh? If it’s any consolation, I think Inui might have slipped up on his latest concoction or something. I can’t imagine either of those two ever willingly kissing the other…” Kawamura laughed again, nervously “It would probably be a sign of the apocalypse. So if you’re worried that your senpais are… well…”

“Gay?”

“Yes… If you’re worried about that, I don’t see any reason-”

“Then… You haven’t noticed how they’ve been acting around me lately?” Echizen asked, looking up at his senpai.

Kawamura glanced down at him. “Ah. That. Well, yes, I have… but surely that’s only because Inui challenged them with that silly compatibility percentage…”

“I see… And… You don’t think Kikumaru-senpai might be… um-”

“G-gay?”

Echizen shot a strange glance at Kawamura from the corner of his eye. “Well, obviously HE is. There’s no doubt that he and Oishi-senpai are… uh… close…”

“Then what were you going to ask?”

“Do you think he’s been hitting on me?”

Kawamura looked thoughtful for a moment. “He wouldn’t, would he? Not if he’s with Oishi. No, I’d say Kikumaru-san is just very affectionate.”

“Oh, good,” Echizen sighed in relief. “So I’m safe with Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-buchou. I guess I was worrying about nothing after all. Thanks, Kawamura-senpai!”

With that, he took off, leaving a worried Kawamura at his back.

“I wouldn’t say he’s exactly ‘safe’ with Fuji-san… Or buchou for that matter…”

“What was that about Tezuka?” asked a soft voice from behind Kawamura.

The power player’s blood froze in his veins for a moment, before he remembered to breathe—which shattered the ice.

“Fuji-san!” he said, a little too loudly, rubbing the back of his head and chuckling nervously as he seemed to have been doing through his whole conversation with Echizen. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”

“Gomen, Taka-san, but go on. What were you saying?” Fuji prompted, his smile as fearsome as ever.

“Uh… Fuji-san… You wouldn’t be plotting to strip our rookie of his innocence, would you?” Kawamura asked, rather bravely and bluntly.

“No more than any other member of our team, Taka-san,” Fuji replied sweetly.

It was hardly the most reassuring answer one could receive.


	14. 14%

Ryouma trudged home. On one hand, he felt reassured… but on the other… He’d meant to ask Taka-san what he thought about Tezuka. He’d meant to ask if Taka-san had ever known buchou to show an interest in men, or anyone for that matter. He’d mean to ask if Taka-san thought buchou was capable of human emotions such as love and humor.

He never got the words out.

He also failed to ask some very vital questions concerning heterosexuality. He was beginning to have his doubts, and he’d wanted to find out if Taka-san—who was as straight as they could come, at least, so Ryouma hoped—had the same thoughts and fantasies as he did. He just wanted to make sure. That he was straight. Once and for all.

But he couldn’t bring himself to. Mostly, because he just ‘couldn’t’ ask about Tezuka, and when he’d said that he was safe with Tezuka and Fuji, he’d felt this awful sense of disappointment, and he was absolutely mortified by it, because just maybe he wasn’t straight after all. 

So, instead of going home, where his dad could—and most certainly would—bother him, Ryouma changed direction and went to the public library. He could always read a couple more tennis books. It never hurt to brush up on new techniques.

*

Tezuka could hardly believe his luck when he turned a corner at the library, nose in book, and glanced up as he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. There was Echizen, heading straight for the sports section.

*

Ryouma decided to grab a few books and then decide what to read once he found a table to relax at. He even planned to grab a doubles book. If Fuji-senpai thought doubles was important, then Ryouma should pay more attention to the play-style. It might even improve his singles to read up a bit on doubles.

However, for some reason, the doubles and singles books had been separated. Whatever moron had thought of the brilliant idea to put doubles books up on the high shelf should be shot.

Growling, Ryouma tried to jump and grab the book he’d been eyeing, but he fell short. No frigging pun intended.

He was getting highly irritated, when he tried jumping for the last time – and a hand reached up right before his eyes, and took that very book from the shelf.

Ryouma whirled. “Hey! That’s my b-” He froze. “Buchou!”

Tezuka smiled, and Ryouma instantly forgot his frustration at the stupid, high shelves. Who would have guessed Tezuka had such a dazzling smile? That was… he hardly ever used it…

“Hello… Ryouma.” Tezuka held out the book for him.

In his shock at being so informally called by his first name, Ryouma almost forgot to take the book. Blushing, he snatched it and muttered a thanks.

*

Who could resist? Apparently, not even Tezuka.

The sight of Echizen jumping like mad, getting more and more irritated every time, and not coming anywhere near the shelf was one of the most entertaining things he’d ever seen. Better yet, it was the perfect opening.

Tezuka’s shirt just brushed Echizen’s back as he leaned over the shorter boy to grab the doubles book off the high shelf. He’d raised his eyebrows, seeing what Echizen was aiming for, but it was best to keep his mouth shut seeing as he’d caught his kouhai up—heh, short—on two accounts. 

Best to play it cool.

When Echizen’s tirade cut short, Tezuka smiled. It was, after all, too cute.

A brief moment of irritation flared up out of nowhere as Tezuka thought of Fuji, and the kinds of games the tensai would play in order to win. He thought of what Fuji would say or do, and then decided that he was the one in the right place at the right time and it was his move now.

“Hello… Ryouma.”

That was all it took. Just one little nudge. A smile, and a curt sentence, and he had the boy playing into his hands.

So why was he the one trembling slightly when Echizen snatched the book from his fingers?

*

Too surprised at his buchou’s timely appearance, Ryouma could hardly turn down the offer to share a study cubicle. Those were usually reserved for university students, but apparently Tezuka got special treatment.

They both quietly sat on opposing seats of the booth, turning to their books rather than conversation. However, Ryouma soon found that he couldn’t concentrate. He kept glancing across at Tezuka, who was always staring studiously at his text books or whatever page he was writing on at the time.

He looked so… 

There wasn’t really any one word for it. Distinguished, relaxed, natural, disciplined, serious, dutiful. Those words didn’t cover it. And so, Ryouma kept glancing up, trying to place the sense of ‘something’ that was irritating him.

Eventually, he got absorbed in a detailed description of the Australian Formation, which was one of the Golden Pair’s favorites. Frowning, he ran a simulation of all the possibilities through his head. He’d seen the formation often enough, but he’d never seen it done by anyone but those two. Pros tended to use I Formation most regularly in their doubles matches.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” Tezuka asked suddenly.

Ryouma started, having almost forgotten his captain’s presence.

Tezuka slipped around to join him, his eyes scanning the page. “Those two worked really hard to pull that off. Personally, I think it’s more difficult than I Formation, but also more effective.”

After that, they began to talk about tennis, and got carried away, until Tezuka glanced at his watch, his unfinished homework, and then sighed. “It’s getting a little late. I’ll finish this another time. Why don’t I walk you home?”

It never even occurred to Ryouma to argue that he was a big boy and could walk home by himself, thank-you-very-much. Rather, he agreed easily, and smiled a little as they went to check out the books they wanted to take home.

They walked in easy silence at first but then Ryouma began to feel as though he had to say something his mind kept returning to his earlier conversation with Kawamura. “Buchou,” Ryouma muttered as they walked down the cool, dark street. “Everything’s been so weird lately.”

He could hardly stop the words. He was tired of avoiding his friends, and he was tired of confusing himself with overactive thoughts.

“Are you okay, Ryouma?” Tezuka asked.

He hadn’t used that name since the first time when they’d run into each other earlier. Now, it created this strange, nervous flutter in Ryouma’s stomach, and he suddenly felt light, and a little reckless.

*

Fuji’s eyes slid very slowly towards the practically unconscious figure in Inui’s bed. He thought to himself that the experiment must have gone very well—for Inui as a man, if not a scientist.

“Shhh,” Inui breathed. He grabbed what he needed and then dragged Fuji back out into his hallway. “I’ve emailed all the information you wanted. This is the Roman-tea-c. The batch should work well enough for your purposes, but don’t dare abuse it, Fuji.” Even under Fuji’s cold smile, Inui barely flinched. Apparently he was serious. “You only need to use a couple of drops to simulate affection. I’m sure you can figure out the ratios from there, but be warned that it is truly potent.”

“Clearly,” Fuji slurred, including both the instances of Tezuka and Kaidoh in his one word statement. “And you’ve kept none for yourself?”

Inui glanced briefly back at his room. “I don’t need it anymore,” he said quietly.

“Ah.” Fuji’s smile spread just a touch. He really was happy for them. Kaidoh and Inui could be very good for each other. “Then if you’ll excuse me…”

“Fuji,” Inui dared. “Is it really worth it?”

“I suppose we’ll find out,” Fuji replied nonchalantly.

He was determined not to lose to Tezuka under any circumstances. Anyone but Tezuka.

*

Ryouma wasn’t sure what he was thinking when he stopped and barely more than whispered, “Buchou.”

Tezuka slowed to a stop, turning towards him with an inquiring expression. Before he could think about it, Ryouma glanced ever so succinctly about before he stood up on his tip-toes, and planted a kiss right on Tezuka’s lips, his arms winding around the older boy’s neck.

*

Tezuka almost froze with shock. He knew he’d played well tonight, but he never expected Echizen to make the first move, let alone one so bold or so soon. 

His body reacted before his mind did, and he wound his fingers into Echizen’s hair, the other arm circling the boy’s waist, holding him up. His tongue replied to the one hesitantly brushing against his lips, and he slowly relaxed, allowing himself to absorb Echizen’s pace.

It was a sweet, short, and yes, slightly hesitant kiss. But it was a kiss.

When Echizen pulled away, Tezuka continued to hold him, staring into wide golden eyes. He smiled.

“That was a pleasant surprise.”

Suddenly, Ryouma struggled to break free, obviously regretting his impulsive, emotional action. But Tezuka wouldn’t let him.

*

Ryouma wanted to die. He wanted to crawl under the nearest bush and die.

How could he have kissed Tezuka? How? Why? What the hell was wrong with him?

He’d been feeling so relaxed and happy that Tezuka’s quiet, concerned question struck something in him. ‘Are you okay, Ryouma?’ No. No, he was not okay.

But Tezuka never pushed him away, and didn’t condemn him afterwards. Instead, Tezuka firmly took his hand and dragged him into a nearby parking lot, dropping both of their bags. 

It wasn’t particularly late, probably about 8:30, 9:00, but the parking lot was empty. For whatever reason, Tezuka and Ryouma were completely alone, and now they were shielded from the street by a concrete wall.

Ryouma was almost afraid to ask what Tezuka was doing, dragging him in here, but he had to try. He was more than lost already. If he didn’t at least ask, he’d lose his mind.

“Buchou-”

Tezuka’s fingers covered his lips.

“Listen, Ryouma. You’re an incredible player, and an incredible person. I know this is a bad time, but if I passed up this opportunity, I’d be a mad man. I won’t ever push you where you don’t want to go, but since you made the first move, I can hardly back away, now can I?” Ryouma just stared. Tezuka’s fingers slowly slid from his lips. “Can I kiss you?”

“Again?” Ryouma muttered stupidly.

“Yes, again,” Tezuka breathed, his voice barely tinged with amusement, though it was primarily coloured with something else. Something husky and intriguing. 

Ryouma slowly nodded.

It was Tezuka. If buchou wanted to kiss him, then… then he guessed it was okay. 

*

Tezuka kissed Echizen slowly and deeply. He seduced the rookie with his tongue as he’d been seduced by Fuji’s time and again.

When he finally slid his mouth away from Echizen’s, gently kissing the boy’s jaw, he could feel panting breath on his cheek, and the heat of flushed cheeks under the fingers framing Echizen’s face. 

He was hard, himself. Echizen was a good kisser for someone who was so obviously new at it.

Tezuka’s other hand traveled down Echizen’s body. He expected to be stopped, but when his fingers cupped the solid bulge between small, firm thighs, he moaned softly.

“May I?” he breathed.

Echizen was stiff—not just between his legs, but all throughout his body. Tezuka knew he wasn’t going to relax until he completely forgot to be confused.

He nibbled one last time on the boy’s jaw, then dropped to his knees in the gravel. He looked up, catching Echizen’s startled eyes to make sure he wasn’t pushing too far, too fast.

Somehow, he achieved permission, and Tezuka unbuckled Echizen’s school pants, letting them drop away to reveal white cotton boxers. There was a slight wet patch visible in the dim light, proving that Echizen was incredibly turned on.

Tezuka’s heart beat fast in his chest, his cock throbbing in his pants. They were in such a public place. If anyone caught them, there’d be hell to pay, but he couldn’t stop. This victory—this boy—would be his.

“Buchou… I… I told you, I’m not…”

“You don’t have to be gay to enjoy this. Just relax,” Tezuka replied, soothingly. 

He was a little disappointed that Echizen was still resisting, but that was all part of the game, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t be much fun if it was too easy.

Of course, it was all fun and games until someone’s heart was broken. At this stage, it was anyone’s game, and everyone’s hearts were in the draw. What did Tezuka have to lose?

A little voice chirped up. ‘PRIDE. After all, you’re on your knees in gravel in an abandoned car park, your erection straining against your trousers, probably as wet as Echizen’s…’ But aside from that: Nothing. Nothing to lose at all. Except maybe morals… And self respect… His lover, Echizen’s respect and adoration… Anything else? Oh, yeah. Essentially, a bet.

As Echizen stayed remarkably silent, not arguing further as Tezuka expected, the captain rubbed the boy’s erection through the thin material. He licked the wet spot, closing his eyes as his tongue flicked over the patch, and then opening them to look up into molten gold.

He pulled down the white boxers, stroking Echizen’s hard, weeping cock. Then, not wasting any time in this compromising position and public place, he took the length into his mouth, determined to bring Echizen the most incredible orgasm of his life thus far.

*

Ryouma closed his eyes, literally biting his tongue to keep from moaning. His head rested back against the concrete and his hands had long since buried in Tezuka’s soft, shaggy hair.

He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. His first sexual experience ever, and it was not only with a guy, but Tezuka. His buchou. The whole thing was a huge turn on, and yet, he was terrified by what it meant.

No matter what Tezuka said about not having to be gay, Ryouma was still the one to kiss him. He couldn’t deny what he was beginning to feel, and he couldn’t hide the evidence of the way Tezuka affected him – which was now swelling in his buchou’s warm, wet, talented mouth.

“I’m… buchou…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it, but somehow Tezuka followed the warning. He took Ryouma deep into his throat one last time, then retreated to the very tip, sucking hard as Ryouma bucked and trembled, orgasmic bliss spreading throughout his genitals and more.

*

Tezuka supported the boy who was slowly sliding to the ground. After a about 20 seconds, Echizen began to recover. He buried his face in his hands, refusing to look at Tezuka.

Sighing, the captain pried Echizen’s hands from his eyes and stared into them. That calmed the rookie a little and he was able to lean in and press a soft kiss against tense lips, feeling the tension melt away under his touch.

“Buchou,” Ryouma almost wailed, “I don’t know what to say…”

“Shhh,” Tezuka whispered. “There’s nothing to talk about right now. Let me walk you the rest of the way home. When you’re ready, we can address what just happened.”

How was he to know that his generous patience was a big mistake?


	15. 15%

Ryouma said goodnight to Tezuka at the gate. 

He had a million questions, and a maelstrom was forming in his mind, but he just quietly accepted the brief kiss to his lips, and then watched Tezuka walk away.

Then, he turned back to the house. If he could just avoid his father, he might be able to stave off a nervous breakdown.

*

Fuji was mildly irritated. He had collected what he needed from Inui, gone home and taken a bath, then made himself… presentable, in an open fronted black silk shirt and designer jeans. 

All to show up at Echizen’s place and find out that the rookie wasn’t even home. At Eight o’clock at night. 

Determined to put his plan into action, he graciously accepted Echizen, Nanjiroh-san’s offer to stay for a while. All in all, it wasn’t such a bad time.

Echizen’s mother was worried, but when she withdrew to the kitchen to prepare bits and pieces of the next morning’s breakfast, the man of the house broke out in full force. He really was highly entertaining.

Fuji enjoyed a fascinating conversation with him about high-heels and western women, all the while studying the ex-pro tennis player. He found it incredible that this was the very man who had taken Japan to the top, and then disappeared from view. He found it even more fascinating that this out-going, perverted, and yet wise and talented man was Echizen’s father. Well, the talented part fit.

“So, you’re a tensai, right? Where do you suppose Ryouma is?” Nanjiroh asked, somehow both enthusiastic and conspiratorial.

Fuji laughed, though he couldn’t stop a hint of annoyance from flashing in his eyes for a moment. “I’m not that kind of tensai but if I had to guess…” What would Fuji guess? Echizen had left Taka-san and continued home on his own, but somewhere along the way, he’d gone missing. Was this Tezuka’s doing? “He’s probably working on some secret new technique,” Fuji said at last, rather cheerfully.

“Oh.” Nanjiroh-san seemed disappointed. “You don’t think he could be chatting up some girls?”

Not a bit. “I’d find it more likely that the girls would be chatting him up, Nanjiroh-san,” Fuji answered with a touch of sympathy for the man’s disappointment.

“That’s my boy!” Nanjiroh grinned, completely missing Fuji’s point, though the tensai was sure Nanjiroh knew HE at least was not interested in women – Western, or otherwise. 

“Ryouma’s home, uncle; Fuji-san,” called Echizen’s cousin.

Both males’ ears practically pricked up at that.

A grumble could be heard from the entrance, and then Echizen shuffled into view. Fuji instantly noticed his slightly puffy lips, wondering who exactly Echizen had been kissing—and having every suspicion it was Tezuka.

“Oh, look who Karupin dragged in!” cried the boy’s father.

He had perfect timing. At that moment, the fluffy thing Fuji had assumed was a feather duster sprang out of the corner and pounced into Echizen’s arms. She sniffed at him curiously, and then tilted her head to the side—probably sensing Tezuka all over him, the tensai bitterly deduced.

Meanwhile, Echizen was busy staring at Fuji.

“Senpai?” he asked, sounding a little confused. “Why are you here?”

“Now, boy, that’s no way to speak to a guest. Fuji-san here brought home a book you left behind,” Najiroh scolded, tousling up Echizen’s hair.

Fuji shot him a sharp glance while the rookie was distracted. Fuji had done no such thing. Why was Nanjiroh lying for him?

“The least you can do is play the good host, and offer your friend some tea,” the elder Echizen continued.

“Fine. Fuji-senpai-”

“You probably want to change after just arriving home. I don’t mind bringing some tea up, and then we can have a chat before I go home,” Fuji offered.

Actually, he was counting on it. The main ingredient of Roman-tea-c in his pocket was practically humming to him.

Originally he was going to use it to just loosen Echizen up a little, but now he wanted to loosen the boy up a lot and find out what had happened with Tezuka.

Apparently, there was no need. For some reason, Echizen was ready to talk before he even drank the tea.

*

Ryouma was, at first, surprised to see Fuji in his home—especially after the odd events of the evening, but once he had a chance to compose himself, he was actually quite glad. Whatever Fuji had dropped off for him, it was lucky that there was someone he could talk to. Someone he could trust.

He really needed to talk about what happened with Tezuka. It wasn’t like him to want to talk, but this time, he needed to get it off his chest. 

In fact, aside from Momo—who was acting very strange—and Kikumaru-senpai—who was also a little suspicious, Fuji-senpai was probably the only one Ryouma could talk to about this. After the way the tensai had looked after him lately, he was really glad that Fuji was there.

“Senpai… Can I ask you something?” Ryouma asked, sitting on the edge of his bed and cradling his tea. 

“Of course. Is something bothering you?” Fuji asked, abandoning the second cup he’d been pouring for himself and sitting beside Ryouma.

An image of Tezuka on his knees popped into Ryouma’s head, followed closely by the memory of the sensations he’d recently experienced, causing him to blush. He looked down, staring into the tea.

“It’s… a little personal,” he mumbled. He wanted to talk to Fuji-senpai, but… He really didn’t know how to say it, or what the tensai would think.

“Does it have something to do with why you got home so late tonight?” Fuji supplied helpfully.

Ryouma nodded.

“Were you… with someone?” Fuji asked.

Ryouma nodded again. He was still thinking of how to just come out and say it, when Fuji guessed again.

“Was that someone Tezuka?” the tensai asked.

… Just how much else had Fuji already guessed?

“Yes,” Ryouma muttered.

“Ah. I thought so.” Ryouma almost jumped as Fuji’s hand rested on his shoulder, but he relaxed, reminding himself of who he was with. “Do you know… Tezuka reminds me a lot of my father. But, in some ways, I think he’s a lot like yours, too.”

At first, the lack of relevance of that statement distracted Ryouma, then he remember what Fuji had actually said, and gaped at the tensai. “Have you MET my dad?”

“Yes. We had quite a nice discussion tonight,” Fuji replied cheerfully.

Ryouma continued to gape.

“Tezuka has a way of seeming like a father figure, and to you, I think he may actually be quite close to that. Despite your father’s… buoyancy, he is a very wise, critical, and skilled man. And he’s hard on you. Like Tezuka is.” Why, oh WHY, did Ryouma have to blush at that? “And maybe… maybe that’s why you see something in Tezuka.”

“I hate my dad,” Ryouma muttered. “I don’t hate Tezuka.”

Fuji laughed. “Come now, that’s not true. Hate is a very strong word.” Fuji’s eyes slowly opened, and Ryouma found he couldn’t really look away. “Whatever happened tonight between you and Tezuka… it’s a common fact that girls—and some guys—tend to fall for men who remind them of their fathers.”

Ryouma felt slightly dizzy staring into those beautiful blue eyes and turning those words over in his head. “Fuji-senpai,” he whispered, deciding to go out on a limb. “What if… what if I’m gay?”

“What if you are?” Fuji challenged, holding his gaze without flinching a bit.

Ryouma suddenly felt very nervous. He’d expected Fuji to tell him that he was wrong and that he couldn’t possibly be gay. He’d expected—almost wanted—for the tensai to be grossed out or shocked. No such luck.

“And… you think I like Tezuka because he reminds me of my dad? Isn’t that a little…”

“It’s basic Freudian psychology. Very subconscious,” Fuji added, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Suddenly, Fuji changed the subject. “Are you afraid, Ryouma? Does it bother you that you feel this way about another guy?”

Ryouma wanted to nod, but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t admit he was afraid. Instead, he hastily shook his head.

Fuji smiled again. “Of course not. Ryouma… It’s okay. It’s okay to like whoever you want to—male or female. Your friends will always support you and be there for you.”

Ryouma flinched just the slightest bit as Fuji touched his cheek. He suddenly felt a little strange, and turned his face away, using his untouched tea as an excuse. He drank it down, though it was a little tepid, and stood to place it on the tray.

Fuji took the cup from his hands and placed it down, taking Ryouma’s face in one hand. The boy stared once more into startlingly blue eyes.

“Ryouma… You don’t have to go through this alone,” Fuji said.

*

Fuji had Echizen just where he wanted. Not only had the rookie now drunk Fuji’s version of Roman-tea-c, but even before that, he had made a huge breakthrough. Echizen admitted to Fuji that he had doubts about his sexuality. From there, it was a piece of cake…

“I don’t really know what happened tonight,” Echizen began out of the blue. “I ran into Tezuka-buchou at the library and we hung out for a while, and then he walked home with me, and… and some really weird stuff happened.”

“Did you like it?”

“What?”

“The ‘really weird stuff,’” Fuji clarified. “Did you like it?” 

Echizen blushed for about the third time. Fuji’s thumb circled over one heated cheek. 

“I guess… Yes…”

Fuji leaned over to whisper in Echizen’s ear and wait for the answer, so the rookie wouldn’t feel pressured into making eye contact. 

“What did Tezuka do to you?” he breathed, knowing perfectly well how sensual his voice could be when he wished. “Did he kiss you?”

Echizen shook his head, a little jerkily. “I kissed him.”

Well, that was a surprise.

“And then?” Fuji turned a little so his breath caressed the boy’s jaw.

“Then… he sucked me off in a parking lot.”

Fuji had to stop a little spasm of shock passing from through his body. Tezuka did that? Tezuka would never be that reckless! At least, he never had been with Fuji.

Fuji’s tongue flitted over Echizen’s earlobe. “You must be very confused,” he whispered, moving until his lips were lined up with Echizen’s.

The rookie nodded, his eyes glued to Fuji’s lips. “Fuji-senpai… I trust you more than anyone else, right now. You would tell me if it was wrong to feel this way, wouldn’t you?”

Oh, yes. Fuji would tell him. For sure.

“It’s not wrong, Ryouma.” His lips brushed ever so slightly over the boy’s earning a touch of pressure in return. “If you trust me, then let me show you.”


	16. 16%

“Momo-senpai, please don’t do anything weird. I really need to talk to you as a friend,” Echizen babbled.

Momo, surprised at the sudden, rushed words, stared at the rookie. Anything weird? Like hitting on him… Oh. Right. That. Okay, he could avoid that.

“Sure, Echi-chan. What’s up?” he asked nonchalantly.

Echizen glared at him, and he resisted the urge to chuckle. That was one he’d been saving for a special occasion.

Sighing, Echizen sat down, his back leaning against the chain link fence. Momo joined him, wondering at the serious, solemn mood overcoming the freshman.

“Seriously, Echizen. I know I’ve been a little…” How exactly was he supposed to describe his sudden sexual/romantic interest in the boy? “-odd lately, but I’m still your best friend. You can always talk to me.”

At that, Echizen seemed to relax a little. “Momo-senpai,” he muttered, playing with the cuff of his sleeve. “Something happened last night…”

“Yeah?” Momo prompted, his heart beating a little faster. It wasn’t too hard to make a guess, seeing as how Fuji had been all over Echizen lately, and the rookie was the only one not to realize it.

“Well, first I kissed Tezuka-buchou,” the boy muttered, his face flaming red.

“Tezuka kissed you?” Momo repeated in shock. Tezuka. Tezuka, Kunimitsu. Buchou. THAT Tezuka.

“…No,” Echizen growled. “I said, I kissed him.”

“You did?” Momo asked, even more shocked, and a little hurt. “But… I thought you were straight.”

“I am! ... I was… I think I still am. I don’t know.” Echizen sighed, dropping his head between his knees. His voice floated out, the words stunning Momo into silence. “After that, he sucked me off, and then when I left, Fuji-senpai was waiting for me at home, and… somehow we ended up… in bed together.”

“You slept with Fuji?” Momo almost screamed.

“Shut up!” Echizen cried, raising his head. “I don’t want the whole damn school to hear about this! And… No. I didn’t ‘sleep’ with him. We just… did stuff.”

“Stuff. Like, sexual stuff. Like you wouldn’t do with me,” Momo couldn’t help adding, his hurt feelings consolidated. “Sorry,” he muttered, looking away. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s not like I wanted to,” Echizen argued, though he didn’t sound too convinced.

“Would you call it rape, then? Molestation?” Momo asked, already knowing the answer.

“… No.”

“Then you wanted to.”

“It’s not that simple!” Echizen groaned. “I don’t know what happened. One moment Tezuka was talking, and the next, I was kissing him. And then, when I was confused, Fuji was there, and he made me feel like it was okay, like I hadn’t just made a huge mistake, and then… and then stuff happened. I really need a friend right now, Momo.”

Momoshiro hung his head. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I don’t know if I can do that.” He took a deep breath. “At first it was just competition. I thought I’d be able to beat that stupid viper hands down, but when Kaidoh kissed me that day… All I could think was that I wished it was you. And now you want to sit here and tell me about everything that happened between you, Tezuka, and Fuji. I don’t think I can handle that.”

“I didn’t ask for any of this!” Echizen complained loudly. “Momo, I don’t know what to do!”

“Maybe you should talk to Kikumaru-senpai,” Momo replied, getting to his feet. 

He paused when he felt a tug on his shirt.

“Momo…”

He turned, seeing the unshed tears in Echizen’s eyes. Damn, he was being cruel, wasn’t he? But so was Echizen. Shit.

He went back, kneeling in front of the rookie. He stared into the boy’s eyes. “How do you feel about them, Ryouma? Tezuka and Fuji… Do you like them?”

“I… I think I do,” Echizen whispered.

Momo’s heart skipped a beat, and he forced down the despair that bit at him. “Then come home with me,” he offered. “I’ll teach you to stop being afraid.”

Echizen hesitated, and Momo made up his mind. 

“No strings, I promise. Maybe I’ll get hurt, but I’d rather do this as your friend than lose you altogether,” Momo said quietly, offering Echizen his hand.

The rookie took it, and they stood up together. Smiling, Momo pushed his luck and succeeded, wheedling a kiss out of Echizen, his tongue slipping between slightly trembling lips.

Take that, Tezuka and Fuji. Maybe Echizen liked them more, but Momo was going to be his first!

*

Fuji watched a little bird flit from branch to branch. It looked so careless and free. Really, he would give anything to be out there… outside… on such a lovely day…

Hayashi-sensei suddenly rounded on him, popping out a question that he answered instantly without ever taking his eyes off the bird. 

“Fuji.” 

Eiji’s warning snapped him out of his dreamy state, and he looked up at the sensei staring at him in shock. What had he answered? Oh… The square root of 569. 

Damn. He forgot to censor that stupid tensai brain of his. Now everyone was staring. 

“I was right?” he asked with his customary smile. He laughed. “What a lucky guess!”

“Fuji…ko.”

Eiji looked floored, and Fuji wondered for a moment if things were going to be different between them now, but then suddenly his friend grinned, and practically jumped on top of him, hugging him almost violently.

“Lucky, lucky!” the bundle of energy cried, flashing his fingers in a ‘V’ to the class. 

In response, Hayashi-sensei laughed nervously, and moved on. Fuji turned his attention back to the window with a sigh.

The truth was, his mind just hadn’t been anywhere near school all day. It was stuck in last night.

Fuji had failed. Well, he hadn’t really failed, but he didn’t get as far as he’d have liked to, either. Echizen just wasn’t ready.

Rather, they’d messed around a bit, kissing, fondly, licking, and touching… but nothing serious. Actually, Fuji had even gotten as far as preparation, but by that point, he already knew there would be nothing further. Not just yet.

Even that had been pushing it. Echizen simply wasn’t ready.

Not for him, and not for Tezuka.

No matter. Fuji wouldn’t slip up again. He wouldn’t let Tezuka get to the boy first. Echizen was going to be his, no matter what.

*

Tezuka closed his book, placing it neatly in his bag, and lifting the satchel to his shoulder. He was already thinking about training, but when he looked up, Fuji was in the doorway of his classroom, standing there amidst the eagerly exiting students.

For a moment, Tezuka was glad to see his lover waiting for him, but then he remembered what they were in the middle of, and wondered what the tensai’s latest ploy was…

Suddenly, it seemed so sad to him that he should regret seeing Fuji over something so stupid and trivial. So, instead of giving in to the initial distrust, he forced his doubts away and greeted his lover fairly amiably.

“Fuji. This is a surprise.”

“I missed you,” Fuji replied, taking Tezuka’s arm and leading him from the classroom.

“Is that so?” Tezuka asked, amused. 

“Mhmm. I wanted to see you last night, but you weren’t home.” Fuji’s head rested on Tezuka’s shoulder for a moment as they walked. Just long enough to be intimate between them, but not to seem overly friendly to anyone else. “Why not cancel practice and come home with me right now?”

“As tempting as that is…”

“Aa. I didn’t think so.” Fuji let go of his arm as they approached the tennis courts. “Afterwards, then?” the tensai asked hopefully.

“Mmm, perhaps,” Tezuka answered noncommittally, knowing it would drive Fuji crazy as he broke off to talk to Oishi without letting the tensai argue his case further.

Neither Momoshiro nor Echizen turned up for practice that afternoon, and apparently they hadn’t been at afternoon classes, either. That bothered Tezuka, especially in Echizen’s case. He hoped the boy’s absence had nothing to do with his actions last night…


	17. 17%

Ryouma was nervous, to say the least. He was about to commit to something he had not even considered until a few days ago. If he slept with Momo… If he really went through with it…

But if he didn’t, he would never know. Ryouma just wasn’t the type to run and hide. He had to face up to himself as well as his opponents. He needed to take that final step and find out if he really was gay, and then he had to decide what that meant to him. 

So he was going to have sex with Momo. 

That was pretty much the be all and end all of his train of thought. He didn’t want to think beyond, and he could hardly think of anything but. He would rather not think about it at all, but Momo had disappeared almost as soon as they got to his home, and Echizen was left to sit nervously on the bed and repeat the same cycle of thought over and over again.

Finally, there was the squeak of a handle and the door clicked open. Momo entered, and carefully closed the door behind him.

Not one to admit that he was nervous, Ryouma piped up. “What took you so long?”

Momo laughed guiltily and scratched the back of his head. “I, uh, had to go buy something from the corner store,” he explained. 

Despite his curiosity, Ryouma didn’t ask. He had far more on his mind.

“Well you’re lucky, cause I was about to change my mind and go home,” he muttered grumpily.

Before he knew it, Momo was bending down to him, cupping his cheek gently. “Don’t say that,” he said, looking serious for a change. “Give me a chance to redeem myself.”

Ryouma couldn’t help noting the way his breath hitched whilst Momo’s lips were in good kissing range. There had to be something to be said for his friend’s unique violet eyes and plump red lips… 

Okay, so maybe he was a little gay…

He tilted his chin up so Momo could kiss him more directly… but Momo didn’t kiss him, at least not in the way he wanted. Rather, his friend pressed those soft lips against his cheek, and then whispered, “Whatever happens; I love you, Ryouma. You’re my best friend and more, and I’ll only ever do my best to protect your heart.” His strong arms slid around Ryouma’s body and his lips moved to the boy’s ear. “If that means supporting you in a relationship with someone who makes you happy, then I’ll do it. I promise you won’t have to back away from me, again.”

Ryouma stared at the far wall in shock, his arms slowly returning Momo’s embrace, almost of their own accord. He’d never thought that Momo could be so raw and honest with his feelings, and he suddenly felt awful for the way he’d been treating his friend lately.

Snapping out of it, he hugged Momo fiercely in return, proving that, if nothing else, they would always be close, close friends. And then, Momo did kiss him. Deeply.

For the second year, it was a kiss filled with love and determination, but for Ryouma, it was pure, unadulterated friendship. He actually felt tears welling beneath his tightly shut eyes as he realized he was lucky to have such an incredible friend.

And that was when he realized that he couldn’t do it.

What Momo wanted was to have something intimate of Ryouma to hold onto. What Ryouma wanted was to use his best friend to achieve answers and experience, and that… that was wrong.

He broke the kiss, his eyes still closed as he fought to regain his breath. 

“Momo,” he breathed eventually.

“Yeah?” Momo prompted.

“I can’t,” Ryouma almost moaned, opening his eyes.

Momo smiled at him ever so forcefully. “I know.”

*

An hour of both uncomfortable and comfortable silences, pockets of conversation, and a hug or two later, Ryouma sat cross-legged on his friend’s bed, staring at his lap.

“So, what should I do?” he sighed, their relationship having been repaired in the past sixty minutes or so to the point where they could finally talk freely again.

“Look, Echizen… This is my advice. Go talk to Tezuka.”

“Tezuka?”

“Yeah… I can’t really explain it. It’s just a feeling, but… I don’t trust Fuji.”

Ryouma trusted Momo, but he didn’t doubt Fuji-senpai for a moment. Still, maybe Momo had a point. Maybe he should go talk to Tezuka about what happened last night.

Sighing, Ryouma asked if Momo had the captain’s address.

“Here.” Momo scribbled it on a scrap of paper and shoved it into Ryouma’s hand. “Now, go.”

“What if he makes me run laps around his house for skipping practice?” Ryouma asked, irritated when Momo cracked up laughing. He was serious.

“I’d be far more worried if he doesn’t,” Momo replied with a grin.

*

Before Echizen left, Momo stopped him in the doorway. 

“Hey,” he said. “You know, I’m really glad you didn’t go through with it.”

Echizen blinked at him in surprise, and Momo smiled at him genuinely. 

“I would have lost you as a friend, and it wouldn’t be worth it.”

Echizen grinned back at him, tipped his hat, and said, “Thanks, Momo-senpai,” before taking off.

Momo stared after him for a long time, honestly happy with how things had gone, but still a touch regretful at what he’d let slip through his fingers. The truth was, he hadn’t gone to the store at all. He’d planned to. When he’d left, his intention was to go buy some lube, because he hadn’t kept any around after his relationship with Kaidoh had fallen apart. However, on the way, idle thoughts had evolved into a difficult decision, and he found himself detouring to the park to sit on a swing and think.

What he was finally able to appreciate was that he was afraid of losing Echizen’s friendship if he really went through with it, and that was worse than never having Echizen’s body. And so, he returned home, with no intention of continuing his seduction of his best friend… but that had to seem like Echizen’s choice. 

As a good friend, Momo was willing to sacrifice the credit for doing the right thing to help Echizen make up his mind. And so he did.

Not to say it didn’t hurt…

But it was worth it, right?

Yeah. It was worth it.


	18. 18%

As Ryouma walked to Tezuka's, his thoughts turned over and over in his mind. Whether he was gay or not, he could no longer deny having feelings for Tezuka and Fuji. Although, he somehow felt differently about each of them. 

With Tezuka, it was... A great deal of admiration mixed with physical attraction. Tezuka was everything he wanted to be. He wanted to be close to Tezuka. He wanted to know so much more about the captain, and he wanted Tezuka to know everything about him.

On the other hand, Fuji was like shelter from the storm. He felt safe with Fuji, like everything was right, just because he was with the tensai. Fuji's touch made him shiver simply because it felt nice, and Fuji's voice soothed him when he was in need. Momo was ridiculous not to trust Fuji.

Anyway, they were definitely two different types of love, but he couldn't choose between them, all... the... same.

Love?

*

"Fuji, shouldn't we go upstairs?" Tezuka prompted.

He was pinned to the front door, Fuji's hands and lips everywhere.

"Why?" Fuji muttered. "No-one's home, are they?" 

Tezuka sighed. It was an argument he wasn't going to win. Not when he was already down to only his pants.

"I've missed you," Fuji breathed, rising from where he'd been rimming Tezuka's naval to scrape his teethe down Tezuka's earlobe. He then buried his face in Tezuka's hair, pressing his whole body against the captain's, their erection poking into each others’ flesh. "I've wanted you. We've both been very busy trying to reel in the little rookie, but all I've accomplished is dreaming about you." He rocked his hips to emphasize the point.

Tezuka smiled, knowing somehow that Fuji was lying. "Then I'm far ahead of you," he provoked. "I had his cock down my throat last night." As he breathed the dirty words into Fuji's ear, he grabbed the tensai and spun them both, pinning his supposed lover viciously against the door. He didn't allow Fuji a chance to retort, occupying the tensai's mouth with a deep, lusty kiss as he bent his knees to grind their erections together roughly.

Fuji was moaning within seconds.

*

Ryouma paused down the street from Tezuka's house, flopping against a tree.

He couldn't be in love with them, could he? Both of them?

No way. It was too fast. Besides, it wasn't possible to love more than one person, was it?

Then which one was he truly in love with and which was just shallow emotion? Somehow, he knew that he did love at least one of them. But who?

Looking up the street, he decided that the best way to find out was to have that talk with Tezuka as soon as possible.

A little shaky at first, he started up the street, his eyes on Tezuka's front door.

*

Fuji groaned loudly as Tezuka's fingers slipped inside of him, slick with the lube he'd planted in his pocket for this exact occasion. He couldn't believe how aggressive Tezuka was for a change. Usually, he had to make all the moves, and Tezuka would sweetly, passively follow, but this was another story. Fuji loved it. 

He gasped as Tezuka stimulated his g-spot, his finger skimming it cruelly slowly. Belatedly, shivers trickled up Fuji’s spine and he breathed his lover's name.

"Hush, Fuji," Tezuka whispered. "Save your voice. You'll be screaming soon enough."

Fuji was so shell-shocked and turned on that he couldn't even find the voice to groan. 

*

Ryouma took a calming breath, and then knocked on the door. He waited for several long seconds before he heard scrambling in the other side. 

A moment later, the door opened, and Tezuka's mother stood there, one hand gloved and holding the wet, opposing glove.

"Forgive me, I was cleaning the kitchen. Are you a friend of Kunimitsu's? I'm afraid he's not home right now. Would you like to come in and wait?"

*

Fuji did scream as Tezuka hit his prostate again and again, slamming him up against the door. He came violently, shuddering and gasping as he felt Tezuka's seed spill inside of him.

He slumped, spent, and was luckily held up by Tezuka who was probably upright by merit of willpower alone. He held Fuji surprisingly gently, stroking the tensai's hair and whispering, "I love you".

*

Tezuka didn't know what had come over him. He knew Fuji too well, he supposed. He knew when Fuji was lying, or at least spinning some kind of web. He knew the way Fuji had been at him the moment the door closed was unnatural. 

He didn't know that mostly unfounded jealousy could fuel lust to the point of pain, or that sex based on such lust could be so damn good.

Still, he felt awful for reacting on base male instinct. No matter what was happening between them now, with or without Echizen, he loved Fuji, and the tensai had made an effort to close the gap between them. Tezuka wasn't helping.

Actually, when he thought about it, maybe Fuji was just trying too hard to fix things between them. Maybe he was aggressive because he was worried for them. Maybe his silken, pre-ordered words came from fear for their relationship. Maybe his lie about getting nowhere with Echizen was supposed to reassure Tezuka...

Riddled with guilt, Tezuka held the tensai—who was still experiencing aftershocks—close.

"Let me make love to you," he whispered.

*

Fuji dragged himself up from a place of incomprehension and looked up at Tezuka's face. For the first time in a while, he wasn't thinking about Echizen, how to get Echizen, or how to deal with Tezuka's involvement. No, he wasn't thinking about much at all, except that he really had missed Tezuka. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than for Tezuka to make love to him.

"I'd like that," he replied, finally finding his own legs again, though he stayed in Tezuka's arms a while longer and tightened his own about the captain.

Ten minutes later found them up in his room, reacquainting themselves with each other's bodies. 

*

Eight o'clock rolled around, followed by nine, and Ryouma finally thanked Mrs. Tezuka for dinner and made his way home. He ignored his father's antics and went straight to bed, sullenly cuddling up to Karupin.

Tezuka's mother had said he'd be home by six. Ryouma had worked himself up to talk to Tezuka. He'd been rehearsing phrases in his head all night. 

Wherever Tezuka was... Maybe it was a sign that Ryouma should focus on Fuji after all.


	19. 19%

“Fuji-senpai, I need to speak to you,” Ryouma blurted. 

It was very early in the morning, and he had shown up at school very early indeed, hoping that Fuji would also be there ahead of time. His determination was rewarded—for the most part. Tezuka was also there, and Ryouma could barely look at him, trying to avoid the issue of having waited at his house for hours last night. Right now, he wasn’t going to go back on his decision. Fuji was the one he’d decided to approach, and that was just how it was.

“Of course,” Fuji replied. He turned and flashed a smile at Tezuka. “Excuse us,” he said.

Avoiding Tezuka’s eyes, Ryouma led Fuji outside to a fairly secluded area where they wouldn’t be disturbed, especially not so early in the morning. Fuji waited patiently as he followed Ryouma. Only when they stopped did he urge any kind of conversation.

“You’re very early,” he said. “Did you get up this early just to talk to me?” he asked quietly, leaning down to Ryouma’s level and smiling at him with that sexy, cute, annoying smile.

Ryouma ignored the question. “Fuji-senpai,” he began. “I’ve been thinking…”

“Mmm?”

“Maybe… Maybe you were right. About Tezuka, I mean. Maybe in some ways he does remind me of my father and that’s why I thought I…” Ryouma stopped. Took a breath. Carried on. “What I mean to say is that I think I might like you after all, considering-”

Ryouma reluctantly cut off mid-sentence. He didn’t have much of a choice with Fuji’s lips smothering his.

When the tensai eventually pulled away, his deep blue eyes were open and cutting into Ryouma’s. 

“I accept,” he said.

“-What?” Ryouma muttered stupidly.

“Your confession. I accept,” Fuji elaborated, running his thumb over Ryouma’s moist lips. 

“Oh.”

Ryouma knew he should probably explain further or set some conditions, or at least ask Fuji what exactly accepting his confession meant, but he was truly lost for words. Frankly, he’d been nervous as hell, and that hadn’t gone at all the way he’d planned. He couldn’t understand why Fuji would even accept him at all after such a blundering, attempt to express his feelings.

“Ryouma,” Fuji cooed. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he breathed. “It doesn’t matter how you phrase it. I’m glad to finally hear you feel the same way.”

Fuji felt the same about him? All those times he’d protected Ryouma, subtly and fiercely, all the advice, all the friendly rivalry… Had those feelings been behind it all?

Then again, Fuji probably didn’t realize that Ryouma wasn’t just talking about like. When he said I might ‘like’ you after all, what he really meant to say was that despite only recently discovering he might be gay, despite his confusion over feelings for Tezuka, despite his confusion and irritation over being pursued by others, despite his father’s twisting of his views on all matters sexual and emotional… Despite all that, he might just be in love with Fuji after all.

Fuji put and end to that line of thought with a second kiss that said distinctly, ‘I understand.’

*

Inui, arriving early for training with the intention of studying any changes in Tezuka’s morning habits, passed by a partially secluded bench in a dead end area of the school. Recognizing Fuji’s voice, he pulled up short, and extended his itchy ears to take in the conversation. 

What he heard left him with a certain sense of dread. He didn’t want to know that. If Fuji knew he knew Fuji was cheating on Tezuka then what Inui knew would no longer matter. Corpses don’t tell secrets.

But still… Echizen… This was significantly interesting data.

Of course, Fuji’s smooth tongue was also – as always – of note, but Echizen’s original stream of babble and then almost instant reduction to one word sentences was highly intriguing. It wasn’t often that anyone tipped the super rookie off balance. If anyone could do it, it was, of course, Fuji, as had just been proven, but the fact that it could be done at all…

Inui made to scribble the data into his notebook, but paused before pencil scratched paper. This was data best recorded in his mind alone. If Fuji ever got a hold of his notebook, he was a dead man…

With a certain spring in his step that came only from gathering particularly useful data, Inui resumed his original goal—to find Tezuka and make any necessary adjustments to the data on his morning habits.

He ran into one change almost immediately. Literally. Tezuka was just around the corner, pressed flat to the brick, his expression closed off and the light glinting dangerously off his glasses. Inui walked straight into him, almost crying out, though Tezuka’s hand shot out to cover his mouth and muffle the sound.

Inui looked into Tezuka’s eyes, his momentary panic subsiding quickly. He nodded, taking in a deep, quiet breath as Tezuka’s hand slowly slid from his mouth.

So Tezuka knew. He’d heard the conversation. He had, in fact, been listening for it. Did he not trust Fuji? Or did he suspect Echizen’s feelings for the tensai?

Inui burned with curiosity, but he couldn’t ask a single question. A moment later, Tezuka was dragging him by the arm towards the club room.

Inui cleared his throat. “Tezuka-”

“You tell anyone and I’ll have you removed from the team,” Tezuka cut in, his voice dangerously low. 

“I could-”

“I’ll deal with this myself,” Tezuka told him. Pausing for a moment, the captain seemed rather scary. “Thanks to you, Inui, it shouldn’t be too difficult to win Echizen over.”

Inui’s eyes widened considerably behind his glasses. “Echizen?” he gasped, expecting Tezuka to be concerned with Fuji.

“And to think I actually started to trust him again last night…” Tezuka muttered to himself. “Inui, I’ve been thinking very carefully recently… What was in that tea?”

“Tea?” Inui asked innocently, beads of sweat instantly breaking out. 

“That night you called me over. The night I don’t remember. The last thing I remember was drinking a lot of tea,” Tezuka elaborated, his eyes boring into Inui’s. 

“That… was a mistake,” Inui breathed, almost as terrified as he had been at Fuji’s threats. Frankly, Fuji was horrifying, but Tezuka could be dangerous in a different way.

“Did you give it to Fuji?” Tezuka prompted, seeming disturbingly pleased with the answer.

“He… He was going to kill me,” Inui answered, his voice squeaking against his will. “I didn’t have a choice, I-”

“Considering what I suspect you did to me, I’m not surprised,” Tezuka replied calmly. “First of all, I want you to find out if Fuji used it. Secondly, I want you to suggest he use it again on the first date, just to secure the relationship, of course. I don’t care how you manage it, but get the idea into his head and I might just forgive you for drugging me,” Tezuka told him. “Fail, and… No. Don’t fail.”

Inui abruptly wished he had never picked up his trusty notebook, let alone come so early to practice that morning. All of a sudden, he had an abundance of data to work with, but it just might cost him his life.


	20. 20%

Practice was hell.

Eiji, who had shown up in the morning practically bouncing off the walls, was curled up in a corner of the locker room, dead to the world. Oishi, of course, fretted over him, though not with his usual fervor. Momo was slumped on the bench, spread out all over the place, and though Kaidoh tripped over his outstretched legs, even the notoriously long-lasting viper was tired enough not to snap at him. Kawamura was moving very slowly towards his locker, shuffling step by step. Inui sat beside Momo on the bench, his face practically planted in his notebook.

Fuji was nowhere to be seen. Nor was Tezuka.

Echizen stared around at his teammates, wondering what had gotten into them. Yeah, Tezuka had been a little strict but that was nothing compared to what they’d gone through at various training camps. Shrugging it off, he began to strip. Class wouldn’t wait.

As he left behind a very subdued and exhausted team, he never noticed the envious stares aimed at his back. Echizen had been the only one spared of Tezuka’s foul mood.

*

Meanwhile, Fuji had copped the brunt of it.

“Ne, Tezuka,” he began as everyone else slunk off towards the locker room. “Is something bothering you?”

“No. Why would you ask?”

Fuji was inclined to reply that it might have something to do with the black cloud hanging low over Tezuka’s head, but wisely refrained. “Tezuka… I am your boyfriend, you know. You should talk to me if something is on your mind.”

Tezuka looked down at him, finally meeting his eyes. “I’d kiss you if we weren’t at school,” he said.

Fuji couldn’t help but wonder why such a nice prospect sounded so awfully hostile… Could it be because Tezuka was listening in on him and Echizen early that morning?

Smiling as if without a care, Fuji decided to play with Tezuka a little more.

One weak sway, and then he toppled, hitting the tennis court hard.

*

Despite his anger with the tensai, Tezuka’s eyes widened in fear as Fuji fell. In a scant moment he experienced fear, guilt, and a whole host of other emotions whilst calculating just what it was that had caused Fuji to collapse.

All he could come up with was exhaustion. 

Fuji wasn’t weak in any way, but Tezuka had been extremely harsh on him, and he wasn’t quite as sturdy as some members of the team who had been looking a little worse for wear themselves. In short, Tezuka had allowed his emotions to overcome his duty as captain and the result was an unconscious Fuji.

“Fuji-senpai!”

Echizen was running towards them, even as Tezuka picked Fuji up in his arms. As Echizen looked up at him with enquiring eyes, Tezuka jealously noted that it was the first time the first year had really looked at him all morning. But now wasn’t the time for that.

“Go to class, Echizen. I’ll take him to the infirmary.”

“No,” Echizen replied firmly. “I’m coming, too.”

And that was that.

Tezuka sighed, hefting Fuji in his arms. He knew he should be more concerned about his supposed boyfriend, but he couldn’t help paying acute attention to Ryouma walking beside him.

Somehow, in the course of this stupid bet, he’d come to have feelings for Ryouma, possibly stronger than those for Fuji. To make matters worse, Fuji’s plotting and games were beginning to wear Tezuka’s nerves thin, and he found his affection for the tensai beginning to waver bit by bit. Every time his faith was renewed, it was torn down more violently than ever before. And there was Echizen, so close within his reach, and yet so focused on Fuji. And even after…

“Echizen.” 

Tezuka spoke before he thought, and consequently, he was forced to follow through. 

“Hai?”

“Are you avoiding me because of what I did the other night?” he asked bluntly.

Echizen stopped.

Tezuka turned to face him, cradling Fuji tighter against his body.

“I didn’t want to push my luck then, but in retrospect, perhaps it would have been better. We should talk about what happened.”

Echizen blushed. “Not… here,” he breathed.

“There’s no one around,” Tezuka pointed out.

Echizen’s eyes drifted to the unconscious Fuji, and Tezuka glanced down, having almost forgotten the burden he was carrying. Since when did he become so absent minded?

Before he continued speaking, Tezuka resumed movement, expecting the first year to follow. His expectations were rewarded.

“Regardless, there are things that need to be said, and if you intend on skipping practice and avoiding me, it can’t be helped. Echizen, I need to apologize for my behavior that night. I… When you kissed me, I thought that meant you were ready to explore a little further with me, perhaps… Perhaps that you were even looking for a relationship. Apparently that was not the case, and I apologize for my misjudgment-”

“Buchou… I-”

Was that confusion in his tone? Regret? Fear, perhaps of Fuji overhearing them? If so, was he afraid that Fuji might hear the hint of regret in his tone and begin to doubt his conviction?

“You don’t have to say anything. We’ll leave it at that.”

*

Fuji opened his eyes, the door having just clicked shut, leaving him alone in the infirmary and remarkably conscious. He didn’t know whether to be frustrated, angry, or amused. Tezuka certainly was bold.

Fuji no longer had any doubt whether or not Tezuka had overheard his conversation with Echizen, but he was quite certain the captain hadn’t realized he was awake. After all, Fuji’s little joke to cause Tezuka guilt had both backfired and proved productive. 

He now knew what angle Tezuka was taking, which was precisely his own previous tactic and one that worked quite well with Echizen—to back away and give the boy space to make his own, subtly influenced, decisions. Well, the best way to counter-act it was to forge on ahead, full steam, and that was exactly what Fuji intended to do.

He was pleasantly surprised by Inui’s visit as the data-player had a spare during the morning period. He happened to provide Fuji with the perfect solution.

*

Ryouma stared blankly at the board, his mind a million miles away. Just when he’d thought he had everything covered, just when he’d finally come to a decision that seemed solid, he began to doubt it.

He didn’t necessarily think that Fuji was the wrong choice, but what if Tezuka was the right choice? Didn’t the two sentiments cancel each other out, anyway? There was no way he could have both, and he was no longer content with the prospect of having neither. So how did he sort out his conflicting emotions?

Really, the only thing he could do was continue on the path he’d chosen, and Tezuka had in fact very graciously allowed him to do just that with his apology. But Ryouma didn’t want Tezuka to have to apologize.

Frankly, he didn’t know what he wanted. Aside from Karupin. Yes, a cat to cuddle would be very nice and maybe even helpful… He thought better when cuddling his cat…

“Echizen! For the third time, please read the written phrase.”

Ryouma glanced up, his focus suddenly returned to the classroom. He looked back at the board, this time actually seeing the writing there.

“[The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs,]” Ryouma deadpanned.

“Very good. Now, class, what is so important about this English phrase?” the teacher continued.

Important? It was just some children’s level drivel. It wasn’t important at all. Although, Fuji-senpai would probably say something fascinating, like ‘it contains every letter in the English alphabet…’

“Correct, Echizen-kun.”

Oh, had he said that out loud? Oops.

Yawning, he pointedly ignored Horio’s jealous glare. It wasn’t like he ‘meant’ to get the question right…


	21. 21%

Inui wasn’t sure quite how he ended up on his back with Fuji crawling over him like a dangerous predator – a feline stalking its meal. He glanced quickly at the door, observing instantly that the tensai had jammed something in the lock during Inui’s brief, blind disorientation. The loss of his glasses had cost Inui time - and his precious escape.

Now, he was trapped, and fair game for Fuji, who wasn’t in the least injured or exhausted as he had so seemed that morning. Damn Inui’s incomplete data on the tensai. If he’d have known, he never would have taken the risk-

“Inui…”

Fuji’s low, sexy little coo snapped Inui out of his thoughts.

“K-Kaidoh,” he stammered, trying to explain that he was now in a relationship with the aforementioned second year and that he didn’t want to jeopardize that by any means…

“…Is in class,” Fuji supplied cheerfully, his lips brushing Inui’s throat.

“What do you want?” Inui asked, closing his eyes. If he just let Fuji’s game run its course, maybe he could get out before-

“What do you think I want?” Fuji asked, his erection grazing Inui’s thigh at the appropriate time.

Feeling that hard, erotic limb against his muscle almost dragged a groan from Inui’s lips. As it was, he felt his own length swell drastically. Fuji was getting to him, fast.

“You want me to help you. You think you’re in danger of losing Echizen to Tezuka. Or worse – Tezuka to Echizen.”

Fuji laughed, and Inui’s blood ran cold, even as beads of sweat broke out on his skin in reaction to the way Fuji’s knee pressed against his hardness.

“I don’t need help,” the tensai told him, voice tinged with amusement. “But I am a little… frustrated.”

Sexually? Inui highly doubted that… The tensai probably got laid more than Mary Magdalene. Then again, it was Fuji. Who knew how insatiable his sexual appetite might be?

However, any reply Inui may have made was prematurely cut off as Fuji’s lips descended upon his in a light but sexy, teasing kiss that almost blinded Inui with his own dose of sexual frustration. His glasses were askew, his hair probably a mess from being rubbed into the mattress…

“You want the tea,” he gasped, trying to drag his mind back to the problem so he could get the hell out of there and relieve himself – or better yet, get Kaidoh excused from class…

“I want you,” Fuji disagreed, half kissing Inui again.

“I’m taken,” Inui managed to argue, even with Fuji’s tongue curling about his.

“No…” Fuji breathed. “I’m taken… By you. Now.” 

Even as the tensai slipped his hand between Inui’s legs, squeezing the data player’s crotch to provide the final incentive, Inui rolled, pinning Fuji beneath him. He ground his aching cock into Fuji’s cupping hand seeking the tensai’s lips for a deep kiss.

He was only human.

*

Fuji hissed in pleasure as Inui rolled his hips, his balls bobbing against Fuji’s ass. He felt incredible. He couldn’t imagine why Inui didn’t have more lovers than he could handle – well, he ‘could’ imagine, but it was their loss. 

Inui was just the right size and shape, and with a fair amount of skill, too. He’d prepared Fuji quickly and efficiently, leaving him dying for the pleasure to come – and then fulfilled that desire more than effectively.

Fuji’s fingers hands curled in the sheets, his head pressing into the mattress, his whole body tense with pleasure. And Inui just continued driving slowly and painfully towards ultimate bliss.

Was this the result of his data? Perhaps Fuji had let too much slip on his sexual tastes and habits, but for once he didn’t mind – not if he was getting this much in return.

“Fuck me,” he whispered, dying to be taken hard and fast – dying for Inui to take all the authority and control out of his hands.

Inui was one step ahead of him. He was already thrusting precisely towards Fuji’s prostate as the tensai made his plea.

*

All guilt aside, Inui was quite pleased with himself. He had Fuji, Syusuke writhing in sheer pleasure beneath him. The tensai had allowed him to collect a good amount of data – all sexually focused, of course, but later, Inui could apply it to other uses. For now, he was busy applying it to the use of Fuji.

After all, Gathering such data was not without its consequences. Inui’s sexual stamina had risen a great deal after his night with Tezuka, and even further since his relationship with Kaidoh had begun. Even so, he was wound as tight as a coil, his whole body tense, drenched in sweat. He was barely holding on as he drove Fuji higher and higher towards orgasm. 

He knew the moment Fuji was about to snap lest he change the pace, and so he did, letting himself go. He thrust into Fuji with animal abandon, driving the tensai into the mattress, driving himself into the tensai. 

His glasses had flown off long ago. He was blind, so he just kept his eyes shut, bent low of Fuji, their sweaty skin sliding together.

Little pants began to slip from Fuji’s slips, sounds that were the prelude to screams. They had to keep quiet.

Without missing a bit, or backing off from the pace and pressure, Inui shifted his wait to one arm, his other hand closing over Fuji’s mouth to stifle the sounds. He made sure Fuji was able to breathe through his nose, and then began to drive them both home, his hips working hard and fast. 

Fuji’s moans and screams were muffled drastically, but they still floated to Inui’s ears, driving him over the edge – and Fuji, too.

Weak and trembling, Inui removed his hand from the tensai’s face, shakily collapsing to one side so as not to crush Fuji beneath him. He felt completely ashamed and horrid, but he couldn’t deny how amazing it had been.

*

Fuji reached out, gently running his fingers down Inui’s face. “That was… incredible,” he breathed, smiling. He was amazed, actually, that no-one had come knocking at the door over the creaking of the bed. Then again, the nurse was probably listening to her walkman as she had been that morning when Tezuka carried Fuji in. Good thing…

Inui nodded, and Fuji’s smile turned malicious.

“There is one other thing you can do for me,” he said. “You can drop the Roman‘tea’c off at my place tonight.”

“I… have a date with Kaidoh,” Inui replied, his eyes downcast in guilt.

“Then you’d best come up with a good excuse, hadn’t you?” Fuji asked, smiling cheerfully.

He didn’t need to make the threat. Inui was already quite aware that Fuji now held his and Kaidoh’s relationship in dangerous hands.


	22. 22%

The team warily showed up to afternoon practice, practically tiptoeing into the locker room so as not to incur the wrath of Tezuka. Only Oishi didn't seem worried as he had watched the captain's mood improve drastically throughout the day. He tried to reassure the others of this, but they wouldn't hear him, the impression of that morning still fresh in their minds.

Meanwhile, Tezuka was late.

When he did show up, he offered the team a wry smile, apologized for his misconduct that morning, and told them that afternoon practice would be optional and self contained as they had worked hard enough in the morning to earn the afternoon off if they wanted it. Those who wanted to train were welcome to do so.

To everyone's surprise, Tezuka left soon after, the unstoppable captain himself abandoning practice. Needless to say, not many stayed on after that.

*

"Senpai," Kaidoh said quietly, glancing up almost shyly at Inui.

"If you want to stay for a while, it's fine... I have some homework to pass on from one of Fuji's classmates, so I'll meet you at the cafe. Say, six o'clock?"

"Hai," Kaidoh replied, briskly brushing past Inui in his usual manner, though his fingers skidded subtly across the back of Inui's hand.

Feeling happier for the contact, he made his way out onto the court, thinking about the date he and Inui had planned for the evening. He was very much looking forward to it. They couldn't kiss, or even touch much, but he enjoyed spending time with Inui even when they were just talking, or silently eating. 

That was something that stupid Momo would never understand - eating in peace! Any date they'd ever been on, Momo had been more interested in the food than in his boyfriend.

But Inui wasn't like that, not at all. When Kaidoh spoke, he listened. When Kaidoh listened, Inui made sure to speak 'to' him. When they ate, it always felt like Inui's attention was focused on him, as if he never even tasted what he put in his mouth. It was nice to feel so treasured. In fact, Kaidoh was beginning to realize that that feeling had been sorely lacking in his life. He was-

"Oi, Mamushi - Let's play!"

Speak of the devil...

"Get lost, peach-fuzz. You're spoiling my good mood."

"Amazing, I didn't know you could have one of those - now this I have to see!"

"Didn't I just say you ruined it?" Kaidoh snapped back, but despite himself, he felt the smallest of smiles touch his lips.

Maybe he and Momo weren't cut out to date, but despite the acidic nature of their current relationship, it was a good friendship all the same. Kaidoh would never admit it, but he did enjoy these little exchanges with Momo. It was something he didn't have with anyone else and for some reason he just didn't want to give it up. Simply put, chewing Momo out was fun.

Besides, the stupid peach-head had seemed a bit off lately, so it was the least Kaidoh could do to kick his ass around a little and aim to bully it back into shape.

*

Inui hesitated on his way out of the school, watching Kaidoh and Momo from afar - the two obviously arguing. Smiling at the usual hostilely friendly behaviour, he paused for a moment, his eyes trained on his boyfriend. 

He wished he could take back what had happened with Fuji, but then again, he wasn't stupid enough to blame himself. Fuji was like an unstoppable force of nature. He got what he wanted - and the team was going to suffer for that when he got Echizen. As far as Inui was concerned, he didn't need to feel guilty. He just needed to protect Kaidoh, and if that meant doing what Fuji wanted to keep the second year from finding out what Inui had done, then that was what he would do. He didn't want to see Kaidoh hurt, almost as much as he wished he hadn't done anything that could cause such hurt.

So he would give Fuji what information he had on Roman'tea'c. He would elaborate ont he faint sugention he'd hopefully planted in Fuji's mind that morning - the idea that using Roman'tea'c could not only secure Echizen for the tensai, but could also mend his relationship with Tezuka. Fuji would be sure to use the tea on his date with Echizen. Then, Inui would meet Kaidoh, enjoy his evening, and hope that whatever Tezuka had in mind was not going to get them all killed...

*

Fuji smiled, turning the canister of Roman'tea'c in his hand. A moment later, the ringing cut off as someone on the other end of the phone picked up.

"Moshi moshi."

"Hello, this is Fuji Syusuke. I'm a friend of Ryouma's."

"Oh, Fuji-kun, of course. I've heard a lot about you. Hold on, I'll just see if he's out of the bath yet."

"Oh, if he's busy I can call back later-"

"It's no worry, dear. Hold on."

Soon after, Fuji heard a conversation in the background, one voice significantly more muffled than the other. He gathered that Ryouma was still in the bath after all, and that his mother arranged to leave the phone near the door where the boy could get it. Then Ryouma picked up, sounding slightly breathless.

"Fuji-senpai?"

"You shouldn't keep the water too hot, you'll over-heat," Fuji scolded, his voice ringing with amusement.

"How did you kn-"He could practically hear Echizen's pout. "I like it hot," the boy argued, abandoning the pointless question. "It's relaxing."

"I can think of things that are more relaxing," Fuji replied, doing his very best to keep any sexuality surrounding the words out of his voice. "For instance, a massage. There's nothing more relaxing than having someone ease all the tension out of your muscles after a long, hard practice."

If it were THAT easy to make Echizen pur, Fuji would have brought up massages a long time ago!

"How are you feeling?" the boy asked suddenly, obviously just remembering Fuji's stunt after morning practice.

"I'm fine. It seems I overheated a little myself, this morning, but I feel just fine now, so don't worry," Fuji told him, his finger circling the rim of the canister as he remembered just how heated things had gotten. "In fact, I think I'd be more than up for going out tomorrow - maybe for a movie and dinner - or lunch if you'd prefer."

There was a pause on the other end.

"I've never been on a date before."

Fuji chuckled. How adorable. "Don't think of it as a date. Think of it as hanging out - would you prefer playing tennis?"

"Could we?"

With the way Echizen's voice lit up at that prospect, how could Fuji refuse? Of course, they'd have to cool down afterwards, perhaps some ice-cream followed by coffee (with a dash of Roman'tea'c for flavour...) Yes, that could work very nicely.

"I'd very much like that," Fuji replied, after leaving Echizen hanging in suspense for an appropriate period of time. "But nothing too serious. I don't do matches on the first date."

Echizen laughed at that, and Fuji continued to flirt ever so lightly as he sensed the boy relaxing. He could just picture Echizen in the bath, the phone held up above the water, his knees curled in to his chest as he slumped down in the bath, water up to his shoulders. It wasn't so much a sexy image as... appealing. Somehow, it made Fuji feel warm and... satisfied, though he couldn't really fathom why.

Furthermore, he just 'knew' Echizen was blushing.

First, he heard the swishing sounds as if Echizen was idly running his hand through the water in response to his thoughts. Then, the boy spat out what was on his mind.

"Senpai... Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but what would you do if you liked more than one person?"

Fuji bit his lip very hard to contain his mixed reactions to that question. One part shock was a result of Ryouma's boldness in asking that of someone he'd just agreed to date. Another part joy was sheer amusement at that very same fact. One part anger was born of jealousy and bitterness at Tezuka's unwelcome involvement in his little game...

No point beating about the bush: "I would choose the one I felt most comfortable with - the one who made me feel safe and happy."

Me! I would choose me!

"But... What if they both made me feel that way?" Echizen dared, sounding rather shy and hesitant.

"Then I suppose it would come down to circumstance, wouldn't it? How they feel about you, how they act on those feelings..."

A slight pause, and then Echizen's hair brushed the reciever as he nodded. Though Fuji couldn't see him, he knew the boy's habits well enough to guess. 

"I guess that's true," Echizen muttered, sounding slightly more confident.

Circumstances had led Tezuka to back off, and circumstances had landed Echizen in Fuji's lap that very morning. This was Fuji's victory.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" he said cheerfully, very much looking forward to his date, and to sealing the deal with the special tea he held in his hand.

"Mn. Goodnight, Fuji senpai."

"Syusuke."

"Syusuke... senpai?"

"Syusuke."

"Goodnight... Syusuke."


	23. 23%

Tezuka rolled over, staring at the empty pillow where Fuji's head should be. It wasn't like they slept together all the time, but somehow it felt emptier than usual - as if the promise of Fuji that usually seemed to linger had somehow dissipated in all the confusion.

Annoyed by his currently unwanted sentimentality towards his wayward lover, Tezuka turned his thoughts to the information Inui had supplied him with – however reluctantly. Tomorrow, Fuji planned to take Echizen on a date, and then seduce him using the same tea that Inui had utilized on Tezuka. That was something Tezuka could not allow. However, the plan itself was his own idea. In order for Echizen’s trust of the tensai to be broken through, Fuji had to be caught in the act. If he tried to play innocent, his refusal to drink his own spiked concoction would prove his ill intentions and Tezuka would be there to comfort the wounded Echizen.

It was regretful that Echizen would have to be hurt in the process of enlightening him to the tensai’s sly nature, but better that than for him to be hurt even deeper after Fuji got what he wanted and grew bored. At least this way Tezuka could prevent any permanent damage from befalling the boy, and he would be there to deal with the aftermath.

Trying not to lament his complete loss of trust in the one he was supposed to be in love with, Tezuka forced himself to relax so that he could sleep early and be in top condition for the day ahead.

*

Frankly, Fuji had not expected such a rewarding day. He had been so caught up in the game of manipulating and winning Echizen over, that he’d forgotten how much he really liked the boy. It wasn’t like Inui’s calculations had been the only inspiration to his quest, more like an excuse, really. Ever since Echizen had come into their lives, Fuji had been drawn to the boy in ways he knew went beyond friendship. But he’d had Tezuka and he’d been more than content with that.

Now, he wasn’t so sure. So many of the qualities he adored in Tezuka were in evidence in the youngest member of their team. Then there were the qualities that belonged to Echizen alone. That cute, cocky little grin... The sheer joy the boy exhibited when lost in a tennis match…

Despite Fuji’s only half-joking request for a light match, neither he nor Echizen had been able to hold themselves back much. They found themselves playing each other seriously – and yet there was a light, tantalizing under-current that had them both grinning as they finally conceded to end the prolonged tie-break – slightly tipped in Echizen’s favour as Fuji remembered to employ a little tactical strategy. 

Both in high spirits, the two boys headed for the locker room to clean up and spruce up for the less strenuous part of their date. Fuji couldn’t help but curse the public showers as there was no shortage of tennis players out and about on the beautiful Saturday afternoon. He took pains to keep his eyes to himself, though he was pleased to note Echizen’s apparent failure to do so.

By the time they were both dry and dressed, Fuji felt quite optimistic and was more than looking forward to spending the rest of the afternoon in Echizen’s company over some cooling ice-cream. For a while, he even forgot about his plan to drug the boy’s chosen drink.

“Syusuke…”

Fuji couldn’t help the slight, natural widening of his smile as Echizen used his given name without hesitation.

“Yes, Ryouma?” Fuji asked, his blue eyes dancing.

“Are you… going to eat that?” Echizen asked, his eyes trained on the twisted stick of chocolate poking out of Fuji’s half finished ice-cream.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Fuji replied with a grin as he delicately plucked the novelty from his desert and held it out for the other boy to take. He had indeed been saving it just for this purpose and was decidedly pleased with the way Echizen’s eyes lit up and his lips spread in a grin that showed his appreciation far more than the muttered thanks.

His eyes never leaving the boy, and thus assuring Echizen’s returned stare as he munched away happily, Fuji licked the melted chocolate from his fingers. Observing the sudden drop in pace and rise in sensuality as Echizen began to savor his own share of chocolate, Fuji felt a slight flutter in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t felt so at ease since long before his little war with Tezuka had begun.

The moment was broken far later than Fuji expected, but due all the same to Echizen’s hesitance. The boy dropped his gaze and then his glance darted around the little café, looking for an escape, however temporary. 

“My fingers are all sticky,” he said suddenly, making a face. “I’ll just go wash them.”

Fuji didn’t point out that it was better to wait until he’d finished his ice-cream before cleansing the stickiness from his skin. In fact, it was just the opportunity he was waiting for. As soon as Echizen was out of sight, he pulled carefully measured dose of aphrodisiac from his bag and began to calculate the best way to slip it into the boy’s drink without being seen.

*

Tezuka’s gut twisted in triumph. He’d observed Fuji’s clever and unobtrusive seduction since the boys had first arrived at the designated tennis court that morning. Not only had Echizen fallen for every little trick, but Fuji’s role as the caring friend but interested lover had been played flawlessly and without any hint of his underhanded intentions – until now.

Tezuka watched through the fortunately placed mirror as Fuji bent to take something from his bag – doubtlessly the aphrodisiac of Inui’s creation. He couldn’t make out exactly what the tensai was doing, especially since Fuji was smart enough to make sure no-one would happen to notice him drugging his companion’s drink, but it didn’t matter. Whatever quantity Fuji used was more than Echizen would accept. And more than Tezuka would accept. He was furious with Fuji for trying to fabricate Echizen’s affection like this. It wasn’t fair to the confused, trusting boy.

Tezuka waited until Fuji made his move, urging Echizen, who had returned, to drink his iced chocolate before the milk went sour. By the time the rim of the over-sized glass touched the boy’s lips, Tezuka made his appearance just in time to save the day.

“Don’t drink it,” he instructed strictly. Then, looking to Fuji, he stated, “It’s drugged.”


	24. 24%

Fuji seethed. How dare he! How dare he follow and spy on them? How dare he… How dare he accuse Fuji of – of…

Echizen seemed rather shocked by Tezuka’s sudden appearance, let alone the captain’s claim. 

“What?” he blurted rather in-eloquently.

Tezuka, his eyes still meeting Fuji’s furious gaze with one equally as livid, quickly bent and whipped the bag out of Fuji’s reach, instantly identifying the very pocket Fuji had secreted the drug in and pulling out the small, clear, half-full vial.

“It’s an aphrodisiac,” Tezuka stated coldly. Then, his eyes shifted back to the boy who stared, stunned at the vial. “He wants to seduce you to win a bet-”

Fuji tried to cut in and turn that piece of naively offered information to his advantage, but Tezuka was a step ahead.

“-A bet that he made with me,” the captain finished, his expression apologetic and his words soft so as to take the sting from them. “Momoshiro and Kaidoh weren’t the only ones intrigued by Inui’s data. I’m ashamed to admit that even I entered into what seemed like a harmless game at first, but I won’t let this go on any longer, not when you’re the one who stands to get hurt.” Tezuka gathered the boy to his feet and pulled him into oh-so-righteous and sheltering arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop this before you could get hurt.”

“Who’s the one who’s been spying and scheming and making sneaky plans even whilst claiming to want to fix things between us?” Fuji snapped, less than careful with his words as he strove to get back at Tezuka for exposing what Fuji had least wanted Echizen to know – and for not entirely selfish reasons, either.

“What?” Echizen gasped again, shoving Tezuka away from him, his startled gaze flying to the tensai and back. Evidently, he’d put two and two together and finally caught on to all of the subtle hints of the relationship Tezuka and Fuji had been hiding for so long.

His eyes filled with uncharacteristic tears, but instead of curling up within himself, he lashed out like the fiery little spirit he was.

“You’re all twisted perverts!” he yelled, drawing the attention of any occupants of the quaint little café who hadn’t already been watching the drama unfolding before them. However, a moment later, he withdrew into the calm, cool shell he usually projected and amended his outburst with a simple statement. “I quit. I’m going back to America. At least nobody ever tried to seduce me there,” he ground out as he turned on his heel.

He’d not only avoided looking at Tezuka completely, but his angry, hurt expression had been entirely focused on Fuji. So the tensai couldn’t really curb the instinct to grab the boy’s arm and halt his retreat.

“Wait,” Fuji breathed, already wondering why his pride was about to let him do what he’d already decided upon.

With his other hand, he scooped up the iced chocolate that had been abandoned and downed as much of it as he could in one gulp. What was left, he finished off in several consecutive mouthfuls and then groaned, clutching his head as the cold beverage caused pain to lance through his skull.

“Wait,” he muttered, grinding his teeth. “’s just… cold.”

Once the head-ache had more or less passed, Fuji raised his eyes to Echizen’s once more, willing the boy to understand.

Echizen looked back to the vial still held in Tezuka’s hand, his eyes briefly traveling up to meet the captain’s confused gaze.

It was Tezuka who broke the silence. “You didn’t use it,” he reasoned. “You meant to, but you couldn’t do it.”

Fuji, unable to speak for the unusual burst of emotions he was experiencing, shook his head, squarely meeting Tezuka’s gaze.

“Fuji…”

Fuji looked away. He knew Tezuka’s next words were meant to be an apology, but he also knew that apology would never come. While he had done the right thing in the end, Tezuka would never forgive his intentions.

The tense silence was broken by the sudden clatter of hasty footsteps as Echizen ran from them both, leaving his things behind. That was when Fuji realized their mistake. They’d been so focused on each other in that moment that Echizen had probably seen nothing but a pair of lovers in the midst of some kind of emotional exchange – a pair of lovers who had played him for a fool.

“Tezuka, we have to go after him,” he said, horror at what they’d done turning his blood cold.

Tezuka’s stare lingered for a moment before he nodded and scooped up Echizen’s gear, striding proudly out of the café as the eyes of disenchanted onlookers continued to prickle their skin.

They’d make this right. They had to.


	25. 25%

At first they searched in silence, but the tension that had been boiling up between them finally spilled over.

“How typical of you to come to your senses only after you’ve caused the damage,” Tezuka spat tersely, his eyes scanning the footpath ahead for any sign of the first year whose friendship and sensibilities they had endangered.

“Me?” Fuji whirled on him. “You’re the one who stormed up spouting false accusations!” he snapped. “If it wasn’t for you, it would have been nothing but a pleasant date and if he’d ended up in my bed it would have been his own damn choice!”

“And what were you planning to do when he found out about us?” Tezuka fired, stopping in his tracks to throw the scenario back at Fuji. “What were you going to say? That he was just a game? Or were you going to pretend you could sit in the same lap for five minutes without getting bored?”

Instead of angering further, Fuji’s eyes filled with tears and the lance of pain through them cut into Tezuka just as deeply. “Is that what you think of me?” Fuji asked, his voice catching on a sob.

Tezuka was at a loss as to what to say, because frankly, he had been leaning towards that exact conclusion, yes. 

“What am I supposed to think, Fuji? The way you’ve been acting lately…”

“Has it occurred to you that maybe I really liked him? Have you considered that maybe I just wanted to see him happy, let him know what it feels like to be with someone instead of alone all the time? Maybe… Maybe some part of me wanted to remember what it feels like to have a lover who trusts and respects me for more than just my triple counters.”

“Fuji…”

“Stop saying that!” Fuji cried, his pain manifesting as anger. “‘Fuji…’ As if making yourself sound all emotional and apologetic makes up for a real apology! How is it that you could apologize to Echizen so easily in search of forgiveness but you can’t forgive me for something I didn’t actually do?”

“Fuji…”

Fuji slapped away the hand reaching to touch his arm. “Stop it!” he yelled.

“Fuji-senpai.”

“St-”

Both Fuji and Tezuka whirled towards the unexpected voice, Echizen appearing on the path behind them. The boy’s sullen expression proved that he was still highly wary of the both of them, and more than a little angry, but there wasn’t the same wild hurt and fury, or cool dismissal that had been evident shortly beforehand.

It occurred to Tezuka that the boy had overheard their whole argument.

“I’m not forgiving you,” Echizen stated, glaring at the tensai in question as if daring him to challenge the verdict. “At least, not for lying to me… but you didn’t drug me, so I won’t be angry at you for that,” he finished a little lamely.

“Echizen…”

“You lied to me, too,” the boy snapped, bravely turning his glare upon Tezuka. It faltered a moment later. “But since you told me the truth, I guess I can’t hold that against you, either… I just want to know one thing.” Echizen’s eyes drifted away from them again, fixing upon a bush to avoid having to face them. “Why? Why do this to me when you already have each other?”

Both Tezuka and Fuji were cowed into silence. It was the tensai who recovered first.

“I don’t know what I was thinking when this all started,” Fuji confessed. “I don’t know what I expected to happen, but I didn’t think I would lose Tezuka.” His eyes brimmed with tears once more as he realized he’d probably done exactly that. “But I never intended to just leave you hanging,” he appealed. “I know it’s stupid in retrospect, but it never occurred to me that it would be a problem.”

Tezuka felt like grinding the palm of his hand into his skull. What kind of genius thought with such obviously backward logic? And yet, it was so ‘Fuji’ that he couldn’t quite seem to resent the trait… In fact, it was almost endearing. Almost.

“I, on the other hand,” Tezuka stepped up, casting a brief, sideways glare at Fuji, “had every intention of offering you my full attention,” he said. 

“But you obviously love each other,” Echizen argued, flabbergasted.

It was Tezuka’s turn to have his jaw drop. How in hell could Echizen say that after the row he’d just witnessed? It was quite obvious to Tezuka that he and Fuji hated each other rather intensely at the moment.

“How exactly do you figure that?” Fuji asked, sounding rather fragile and brittle as if prepared for the answer to shatter his hopes.

“It’s like when Oishi-senpai and Kikumaru-senpai threaten to break up the Golden Pair,” he explained, temporarily lost in the phenomenon rather than his own churning emotions. “You only hate each other so much because your love is even deeper.”

The simple observation rocked Tezuka to the core and he glanced at Fuji once more, though this time his gaze was critical rather than accusing.

The boy’s next statement had Fuji rushing to hug him and Tezuka wishing he had the freedom of emotional expression to do the same.

“That’s the type of love people are supposed to have. That’s what I want…”

“Ryouma, I’m so sorry for everything we’ve put you through – all of us, but please believe me when I say we never meant to hurt you. In our own ways… In my own way, I thought I was acting in your best interests… I know I was wrong, but I was going to fix that, I swear!”

“I know,” Ryouma muttered. Then he peeked out from behind Fuji’s shoulder at Tezuka who felt rather uncomfortable.

He really had said some cruel things to Fuji… And Ryouma was right. He only hated Fuji as much as he loved him.

“Ryouma, even if you’re not willing to forgive us, I beg you to stay, at least, and think things through. If and when you decide you truly wish to return to America…”

“I don’t have to leave, do I?” the boy asked timidly. “I know I said I quit, but… I really want to stay,” he finished in nearly a whisper.

“You can stay!” Fuji cried, and Tezuka almost echoed him.

The relief surged through him, making him giddy enough to approach the two boys before him. He gently nudged Fuji out of the way and took Echizen into his own arms. 

“Please don’t leave,” he whispered. “We need you here.”

Echizen stiffened a little, and Fuji’s barb about Tezuka’s trust in his triple counters sprang to mind.

“Not for tennis! Not – just – for tennis. You’re our friend, and a valued team-mate, and… and…”

Tezuka hoped Fuji would chime in, but the tensai just stood at his side, watching silently and waiting, so he backed up, holding Echizen by the shoulders so he could look the boy squarely in the eyes.

“Ryouma, I know I have no right after allowing you to be hurt like this, but I can’t change the feelings I have for you.” Tezuka spoke with a voice slightly choked with fear of rejection.

“But, Fuji-senp-”

“Syusuke,” Fuji corrected, taking the opening presented by Tezuka’s retreat to press a soft, unobtrusive kiss to the boys lips.

Echizen’s suspiciously narrowed eyes and slightly pouted lips were comical enough to bring a very tiny smile to Tezuka’s otherwise concerned expression.

“I’m not letting you break up,” Echizen announced, his frown at the statement further tugging at the corners of Tezuka’s lips.

Fuji, who was never one to let an opportunity slide, molded his voice into the perfect blend of innocence and suggestion. “Who said anything about break up?” Echizen’s frown deepened. “It’s entirely your choice, of course, but there could always be room for another permanent addition.”

Tezuka, trying hard to hold onto his own frown as the sunny prospect got under his skin, sniffed with offense. “Who ever said I’d still have you?” he aimed at Fuji – who turned on him with a dazzling smile.

“Since I’ve decided I’ll have you, after all, you would be most ungracious to decline the offer,” the tensai decreed.

The lofty assumption tickled a chord of annoyance in Tezuka that threatened to flare back up into anger until he noticed the hope shining in Echizen’s far too expressive eyes. He’d never be able to shake the memory of the pain he’d seen in them – and he certainly wasn’t going to put it there again.

Deciding he wasn’t going to win this round, he ignored Fuji and returned his attention to Echizen. “It’s your choice,” he stated. “Whatever you decide, we’ll abide by.”

Echizen’s face scrunched up as he thought, but when he spoke, the condition was far from what Tezuka had been expecting.

“As long as neither of you ever talk to my dad without my mother in the room… and no sex at my house,” he added as an after-thought.

The thought of sex perked up several parts of Tezuka’s anatomy, but he stomped on his libido and nodded solemnly in agreement.

“And no spiking my drinks,” Echizen reprimanded, glowering at Fuji.

Humbled, Fuji nodded to accede that he had been wrong. However, “Aww, but aphrodisiacs can be fun… can’t they Tezuka?” he teased, causing Tezuka to realize that he may be making a very big mistake.

And with that, the three of them headed towards Fuji’s house to discuss their future prospects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this weird, fun piece! There's plenty more where this came from, so please take a look at my other works! ^_^


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